Healthy weight in children
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Eating well and exercising in your teens is important to maintain your health and prevent future disease. We understand that every young person is different and therefore we have a range of exercise and healthy eating initiatives available in the borough. Below is a list of free services available for young people living in Barnet.
0 to 18 years Healthy Weight Care Pathway
The 0 to 18 Healthy Weight Care Pathway in Barnet has been revised and was published in 2019.
Children's and Young People's pathway to be updated and reviewed by May 2024. Check back then for access to the pathway update.
Services to support healthy weight in children that are available to Barnet residents for free are listed below. GPs, health visitors, school nurses, and other health care practitioners can also provide advice about healthy weight for young people.
Healthy Lifestyle services
XPLORE
XPLORE is a FREE 8-week healthy lifestyle programme for 4–13-year-olds, delivered in Better leisure centres across Barnet. The programme, for children and their families, assists children who might be over the healthy weight range to make lifestyle and dietary changes, helping to achieve and maintain a healthy weight. Each 8-week programme consists of interactive nutrition workshops and fun physical activity sessions. Sessions run afterschool from 4.00-6.00pm.
GPs, health professionals and self-referrals are all welcome to refer into the programme.
For more details on our all programmes, please visit the FAB HUB or contact us at xplore.barnet@gll.org or via telephone 0208 457 9907 for the Xplore programme,
Healthy weight nurses
FREE 1 to 1 support in the home or school. The sessions cover healthy eating and goals to aim for. This is open to 4-12 year olds in the very overweight category (over the 98th centile) or with complex needs.
Children need to be referred by a primary care and other healthcare professional or by self-referral / referral by parent (child would be assessed at first visit. Height and weight will be measured).
Our duty line is available 5 days a week from 9am to 5pm. Parents and young people can call for support and advice. The duty line will be staffed by an administrator and School Nurse or Health Visitor
Duty Number Barnet: 0800 772 3110
Email: hcp.4barnet@nhs.net
Barnet Adolescent Healthy lifestyle service
Barnet will be commissioning a healthy lifestyle service for adolescents aged 14-19 years old in 2023. This programme will feature nutrition education and physical activity initiatives to promote and instil healthy lifestyle behaviours in young people. This service is expected to be up and running in 2024.
Local free initiatives and resources
We list a variety of opportunities for physical activity and sport on our website.
Some of these initiatives are listed below:
Fit and Active Barnet (FAB) Hub
FAB seeks to create a more active and healthier borough. To achieve this a FAB Hub has been created where you will find almost everything you need to help you lead an active and healthy lifestyle.
Featuring an activity finder, health, and wellbeing guidance and much more the Hub is your one stop resource to a fitter and healthier you!
All Barnet residents are eligible for a FREE FAB Card which offers exclusive benefits and discounts across Better leisure centres and community based activities.
Examples include 8 to 15-year-olds swim for £1 (Monday to Saturday). Carers (including foster carers), looked after children and young people and those who are care experienced are also eligible for free swimming across Better Barnet swimming pools (during all public swim sessions).
Register for the FAB card scheme
Parkrun
Parkrun is a free community event where you can run, jog, walk, volunteer, and spectate. Parkrun routes are all 5k and take place every Saturday morning at 9am. Junior parkrun is 2k, dedicated to 4 to 14-year-olds and their families, every Sunday morning.
Parkrun is positive, welcoming, and inclusive, there is no time limit, and no one finishes last. Everyone is welcome to come along.
The locations for parkrun in Barnet are:
- Oakhill Park parkrun
- Sunny Hill Park parkrun
- Friary Park junior parkrun for 4 to 14 year olds (families can also participate)
Apps and websites about healthy choices
Better Health NHS
There are a variety of free apps on the Better Health NHS website to explore, including active in 10, couch to 5k.
Heath for Teens
This webpage has useful information on healthy lifestyle including food and exercise and other health and wellbeing concerns as a young adult.
Cooking Classes
Bread n Butter
Bread n Butter host well-established community cooking class operating in Barnet. Cooking and lifestyle courses aimed at increasing cooking skills and providing healthy lifestyle courses.
Visit the Bread n Butter website to find out more
Alternatively, please contact Filomena@breadnbutter
Food A Fact of Life
Practical food skills videos designed to show pupils how to safely and hygienically carry out different key food preparation techniques.