ActiveSG And FrieslandCampina Asia Pilot First Preschool Nutrition And Physical Education Programme To Foster Healthy Living Habits In Singapore's Young

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Nurture Kids is the first health, nutrition and exercise programme designed specifically for preschool children between four and six years old. The children will be taught fundamental movement skills and given tips on how to live an active and healthy lifestyle. The programme aims to inculcate in the children healthy living habits that will offer long-term benefits for their health.

Nurture Kids is currently being piloted at eight preschools which have volunteered to incorporate the programme into their curriculum. Twice a week, coaches engaged by ActiveSG, will guide students through a series of fun activities and games that will develop further the child's fundamental movement abilities such as agility, catching and throwing. The coaches will also share good habits on nutrition, screen time, sleep and physical activity.

Nutritionists have also been engaged to teach the children to 'Eat Smart' through specially designed workshops meant to impart the importance of good and balanced nutrition.

An assessment will be undertaken after 10 weeks to evaluate the outcomes from the programme and the effectiveness of its curriculum.

Mr Lai Chin Kwang, Chief, ActiveSG said: "It is never too early for children to start living healthily. We would like to thank FrieslandCampina Asia for joining us to bring physical activity and nutrition to preschools. We hope that by starting them at a young age, the children will develop a lifelong habit to stay active and healthy."

Nurture Kids is the result of a public-private partnership between ActiveSG and FrieslandCampina. It has been developed in response to the growing trend of childhood obesity in Singapore. About 10 percent of children aged five are overweight¹, while 43 percent of obese children are likely to stay obese as adults².  

If left uncurbed, obesity will rise from 11 percent to 15 percent of Singapore's population by 2024³. This has far reaching impact on public health and the economy. Chronic diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and even cancer are common complications of obesity⁴. The burden of obesity alone cost Singapore $2.77 billion, or 14 percent of gross domestic product, in healthcare spending and productivity loss in 2016⁵.

Mr Hendro Poedjono, Corporate Affairs Director, FrieslandCampina Asia said: "There is an urgent need to address the state of health among young children in Singapore. To foster better health behaviour, we need to engage parents, educators, the government and the community. This is why FrieslandCampina Asia is spearheading Nurture Kids together with ActiveSG.

"We believe that Nurture Kids will make a direct and lasting impact on the development of Singapore's young, by providing them the necessary skills and knowledge for a healthy headstart in life, and enhance the overall well-being and health outcomes of Singaporeans now and in the future."

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About ActiveSG
As a key recommendation of Vision 2030 – Singapore's master plan for sports, ActiveSG was launched in April 2014 as the national movement for sport and physical activity. ActiveSG aims to create a sporting ecosystem that provides innovative and experiential sport related programmes at sports centres island-wide. This movement will act as an enabler to build a community for individuals, families and organisations from different zones where Singaporeans can come together to learn, train, compete and host a range of sports. Working together with communities, National Sports Associations (NSAs), schools, corporations, public agencies and interest groups, ActiveSG aims to co-create programmes that are affordable and inclusive for all skill levels and age groups.

To find out more, visit our website www.myactivesg.com or follow us at www.facebook.com/myActiveSG.

About Royal FrieslandCampina
Every day Royal FrieslandCampina provides millions of consumers all over the world with food that is rich in valuable nutrients. With annual revenue of 11.3 billion euros, FrieslandCampina is one of the world's largest dairy companies, supplying consumer and professional products, as well as ingredients and half-finished products to manufacturers of infant & toddler nutrition, the food industry and the pharmaceutical sector around the world. FrieslandCampina has offices in 33 countries and over 22,000 employees, and its products are available in more than 100 countries. The Company is fully owned by Zuivelcoöperatie FrieslandCampina U.A, with over 19,000 member dairy farmers in the Netherlands, Germany and Belgium—making it one of the world's largest dairy cooperatives.

For more information please visit: www.frieslandcampina.com.

About FrieslandCampina Asia
FrieslandCampina Asia (FrieslandCampina Consumer Products Asia) comprises of operating companies that are active in the consumer products segment in Asia. Over the last 90 years, FrieslandCampina's consumer products brands have acquired market leading positions in many countries across the region. The Company has expanded its range of products to include: milk powder, condensed milk, infant and children's nutrition, dairy drinks, yoghurt and dessert. The Company's leading brands include: Dutch Lady, Foremost, and Frisian Flag.

FrieslandCampina Consumer Products Asia has over 6,000 employees working in nine markets across the region: Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Pakistan, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. As one of the region's largest dairy companies, FrieslandCampina spreads the goodness of dairy by actively contributing to food and nutrition security initiatives across the region, and is committed to being a responsible business with the goal of creating a sustainable future for the business and communities that it serves.

For more information please visit: www.frieslandcampina.com/en/countries/frieslandcampina-asia

¹ National Day Rally 2017
² HPB-MOH Clinical Practice Guidelines on Obesity
³ The Straits Times – Singapore risks hitting obesity rate of 15% in seven years, 20 June 2017
⁴ Pacific Prime – Fighting Childhood Obesity, July 2017
⁵ The Straits Times - Most adults gain weight after starting work, 20 June 2017

SOURCE FrieslandCampina

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