Project: Healthier Living for Overweight Children
The “Easykids” project runs for a whole school year. The participants meet once a week over a period of 30 weeks. There are currently around 60 children and young people at ‘Easykids’ throughout the federal state: At the meetings, they can, for example, guess how high the fat content in the cheese is. For example, it is about how to eat healthily.
The topics of nutrition, self-esteem and exercise are then worked out in small groups according to age. “They approach it playfully so that we learn something and it’s not like school,” says an eleven-year-old participant. “Because at school you sit there and still have to be. And it’s really fun when you’re in motion – because we play very often. ”Because romping around and moving is also part of the Easykids meetings.
“It’s about a lifestyle change”
The goal of “Easykids” is to live healthier, says the project manager and managing director of the Working Group for Preventive Medicine (AVOS), Angelika Bukovski: “It’s not primarily about losing weight – that’s of course a nice side effect. It’s really about a lifestyle change. “
Interested families need a referral from a doctor for the project, then you can register with AVOS. Participation in “Easykids” is free. The Austrian Health Fund (ÖGK) pays the costs, says the ÖGK concept developer, Karin Gmeinhart: “’Easykids’ is completely taken care of by the ÖGK. A total of four million euros will be invested in the project. “
“Easykids” project for healthy eating
Advice for parents too: “It affects the whole family”
While the dying children let off steam at the meetings and learn, for example, health advisors talk to their parents a few rooms further about the subject of obesity. “It affects the whole family – not just the child,” says one mother. “The parents cook at home. Parents buy the food that children eat most of the time. And we are the role model – you should always pull together. “
Within the group, the parents also support each other, says one father: “Everyone likes to come here. Because children who die realize that they are among like-minded people. And it’s just the same with us parents. We talked quickly about two or three topics and also laughed because we recognized each other immediately. That is also a great added value. “
New project round starts in March
The project is designed for four years. A new project round will start in March at “Easykids”; interested parties can register until January.