Mini-MEND (Mind, Exercise, Nutrition ... Do It!), run by the obesityprevention and treatment voluntary organisation MEND, is being funded byNutricia, a manufacturer of infant and toddler products.
The pilot is taking place at five centres - two in Lewisham, London, andone each in Hillingdon, London, and South Tyneside and Plymouth.
Based on the MEND scheme for seven- to 13-year-olds, it includes weeklyparent-child exercise, parent discussion groups and children'sactivities. An evaluation will take place in January, and training forchildren's centre workers will start in February.
Paul Sacher, founder and research director of MEND, said, 'Parents areexpected to know instinctively how to raise healthy children, but maylack the know-how, particularly if they haven't had good role models intheir own upbringing.
'With Nutricia's support we hope that Mini-MEND will make significantinroads into the child obesity problem in this country by helpingpre-schoolers learn healthy habits from the outset.'
MEND and Nutricia launched the project at an event called theWestminster Food and Nutrition Forum last week. They said they hope thatsuccessful evidence from the pilot will lead to its expansion inchildren's centres across the country.
Dr Tahsin Yasin, medical director at Nutricia, said, 'We believe thataddressing nutritional needs at this age may hold the key to healthierchildren and adults and in the long term benefit both individuals andthe economy as a whole. Our hope is that through the evidence generatedthrough the Mini-MEND field trial and other clinical studies, we canhelp establish a national programme for under-fives in partnership withgovernment, local authorities and other interested stakeholders.'
Dr Yasin added, 'We are really pleased that people are beginning torecognise the importance of toddler health and nutrition. If we getthings right in this age group we can prevent ill health in laterlife.
'There was a strong call at the forum for additional research andfunding from Government.'
