City promotes healthy living to 250 schools
By June, the Go Jozi Healthy Lifestyle Schools Programme will be rolled out to more than 250 schools.
THE City of Johannesburg’s Go Jozi Healthy Lifestyle Schools Programme, sponsored by Discovery-Vitality, is to be rolled out to more schools this year.
The rewards-based Discovery-Vitality Healthy Lifestyle Schools Programme was launched last year by Executive Mayor Councillor Parks Tau, at Ponelopele Oracle Secondary School in Ivory Park, near Tembisa.
It was first discussed in 2011 as part of efforts to reign in rampant lifestyle diseases and conditions among children. Councillor Nonceba Molwele, the City’s Member of the Mayor Committee for Health and Social Development, said 132 schools have already registered for the programme and by June it will be rolled out to more than 250 schools.
The programme will help fight lifestyle diseases such as obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes and cholesterol among pupils. “If we start these programmes in schools, the children will get used to the discipline and we will raise a healthy generation,” she said.
MMC Molwele stated that schools have a lot of incentives to join the scheme. Each of the registered schools appoints wellness champions to assist with the coordination and sustenance of the programme. Each school receives a R5 000 voucher to buy training equipment. Schools that do well in the programme qualify for a R50 000 cash prize.
The MMC said overweight and obese children are likely to remain obese into adulthood and more likely to develop non-communicable diseases such as diabetes and cardiovascular ailments at a young age. Prevention of childhood obesity is therefore a high priority for the city. Healthy eating habits and exercising go a long way.
“Parents need to do away with packing lunch boxes filled with sugary snacks and fizzy drinks and substitute them with nutritional foods such as fruit, whole grains, vegetables and proteins. Our children need to get out in to the sun and be active as opposed to sitting in front of a computer or PlayStation all day,” explained MMC Molwele.
For more information visit www.cojhealthyschool.co.za
