New programme to get preschoolers to exercise and eat right

This article is more than 12 months old

Oct 06, 2017 06:00 am

Singapore's national movement for sport and physical activity is setting its sights on kindergarteners, hoping to kick-start good habits through a new physical exercise and nutrition programme.

Under Nurture Kids, children between four and six years old will work out and learn about the food they should be eating.

Mr Lai Chin Kwang, chief of ActiveSG, which developed the programme with dairy company FrieslandCampina Asia, said: "We hope that by starting them at a young age, the children will develop a lifelong habit to stay active and healthy."

Both parties said the programme was created because of growing childhood obesity in Singapore.

"About 10 per cent of children aged five are overweight, while 43 per cent of obese children are likely to stay obese as adults. If left uncurbed, obesity will rise from 11 per cent to 15 per cent of Singapore's population by 2024," they said yesterday.

Eight preschools will give the programme a test run, which began in mid-August and will last 40 weeks. - THE STRAITS TIMES