Minister Barr: Launch of Active Kids Challenge encourages kids to get moving
- Written by ACT Government
Released 27/07/2015
Joint Media Release by the Chief Minister and Minister Rattenbury MLA
Today the Minister for Sport and Recreation Shane Rattenbury launched the 2015 Active Kids Challenge which aims to make all kids more active and promote healthy lifestyles.
The ACT Government is committed to ensuring the health and wellbeing of our community, and teaching school-aged children good habits about physical activity, health and nutrition is a fun way of ensuring our children remain active and healthy. This program is part of the Government broader Health Weight Action Plan, a whole of government approach which aims at addressing the rising rates of overweight and obesity in the ACT.
Last year 20,000 students from 68 Canberra primary schools took up the eight week Active Kids Challenge and got involved in physical activity for at least 60 minutes each day. Schools are encouraged to sign up for the free program, which takes place in term three each year.
Almost two thirds of ACT adults are overweight and one in four is obese, so by encouraging and inspiring kids to get outside and get moving, the Active Kids Challenge is helping to reduce the impacts of overweight and obesity on our health system and economy.
Minister for Sport and Recreation Shane Rattenbury said encouraging physical activity in children is important to ensuring the long term health and prosperity of our community.
“Incorporating sport and recreation into our day is an important aspect of staying healthy, improving our wellbeing and creating more connected communities,” Minister Rattenbury said.
“The ACT Government recognises the importance of forming healthy habits early, which is why we are a committed partner to ACTIVE 2020, a long term strategy for sport and active recreation in the ACT and region.
“As we move towards 2020, the strategy helps us map out the future of sport and recreation in the ACT and encourages partnerships between industry and government to create an environment in which sport and recreation is nurtured and promoted.
“Initiatives like the Active Kids Challenge, which teach our kids about physical activity in all its forms, align with the ACTIVE2020 initiative, and are important to combating overweight and obesity in children, and to ensure that the level of childhood inactivity decreases.”
The Active kids Challenge is on from 27 July – 18 September. To register, visit the Physical Activity Foundation website at http://paf.org.au/programs/active-kids-challenge/registration/.
- Statement ends -
Section: Andrew Barr, MLA | Media Releases
