Small steps towards a healthier life

Tuesday 2 February 2010

The Food Standards Agency has officially launched SmallSteps4Life – an interactive website to motivate young people to take simple steps towards improving their health and well-being, both inside and outside the classroom.

SmallSteps4Life encourages young people to set themselves challenges, relating to the themes of eating well, getting active and feeling good – these could include eating a healthy breakfast every day, walking to and from school, or just getting more sleep. The updated website gives all primary and secondary schools the opportunity to post their own challenge ideas, play games and take part in quizzes. Teachers can also share their schools’ successes and nominate individuals or groups, who have done particularly well, as SmallSteps4Life 'champions'.

Gill Fine, Director of Consumer Choice and Dietary Health at the FSA, said: 'SmallSteps4Life is a unique project because it addresses healthy eating, exercise and emotional health. We know from the pilot in Kent that the approach can really make a difference to young people. The results showed it made them feel fitter, healthier, and more positive, but most importantly, they had fun!'

Using the Olympics to help inspire young people to make long-term behaviour changes, SmallSteps4Life is leading the healthy and active lifestyles strand of Get Set, the London 2012 education programme. It also supports the Change4Life programme.

London 2012 Sustainability Ambassador and Olympian James Cracknell is helping to ensure the sustainable nature of the Games, and helped to launch SmallSteps4Life. James said: 'I am proud to help launch this unique project that addresses well-being in a way that is fun and meaningful for young people. My SmallSteps4Life challenge is to eat breakfast every day and keep positive so I always have the energy to do my best. I look forward to seeing the kind of creative challenge ideas that young minds come up with when they are shared on the website.'

SmallSteps4Life is the result of a pilot project that was carried out at six schools in Kent during 2008. More than 70% of primary school students and 65% of secondary school students, who completed questionnaires said they were still going with their health challenges, four months after the end of the pilot. A full evaluation report of the project can be found on Foodbase at the link below.