Healthy weight in children

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.

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0 to 18 years Healthy Weight Care Pathway

The 0 to18 Healthy Weight Care Pathway in Barnet has been revised and was published in 2019.

Children and Young Peoples Healthy Weight Pathway (PDF, 387 KB)
Healthy Weight Support Services Overview (PDF, 319 KB)

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. The is useful information on the Health for Teens page about exercise and nutrition.

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.orgExternal link  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 late 2023.  

Local free initiatives and resources

Opportunities for physical activity and sport can be found on Barnet’s website by clicking here. Some of these initiatives are listed below:

FAB HUB - FAB Hub - Health & Wellbeing (better.org.uk)

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! www.better.org.uk/fab-hub

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 8–15-year-olds swim for £1 (Mon-Sat). 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). For more info and to register visit www.better.org.uk/fab-card.

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 4–14-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:

Apps

BEAM App is an interactive, educational app for ages 11-17 to support healthy and positive lifestyle choices. It is free for Barnet residents. You can download it by clicking here.

SMASH App is a free app for 13–24-year-olds. It is an initiative to save money and stay healthy, providing discounts on healthier food options at your favourite restaurants. Read more and download here.

Better Health – NHS have a variety of free apps on their website to explore, including active in 10, couch to 5k. Click here to explore.

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. Click here.

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. Please contact Filomena@breadnbutter or visit the website to find out more.

Jamie Oliver’s Ministry of Food

Free 8-week cooking courses starting in 2023, teaching teenagers how to cook healthy, affordable meals from scratch. Pilot will run at Saracen’s School, Grahame Park and Unitas, Edgeware. Dates TBC.