This is a comment made by Professor Jason Halford regards a recent large-scale study* with data from 550’000 patients •
 
Average loss of only 13% body weight leads to a 42% reduction in developing Type II diabetes • WOW!
 
The UK has one of the highest obesity rates in Western Europe with 2 in 3 adults now overweight or obese •
 
The NHS is overwhelmed; with the nation’s poor diet and lifestyle choices leading to diabetes at a  cost of over £10 billion per year •
 
There is no one size fits all approach to addressing the multi factorial causes of obesity. Personalised nutrition and lifestyle programmes are required to generate long term sustainable change in place of short term calorie-focused fixes •
 
One such goal should be to look to the next generation, improving our children’s cooking skills and returning to some old fashioned values of home cooking and real food.
 
*European association for the study of obesity 

Search the EASO website for further information including impact of higher rate for serious complications in people living with obesity and COVID-19.

 

Half term is just round the corner and I am VERY ready for a little pause in proceedings. I have loved the kids being back at school and some time for me to get back to work; hell, even some uninterrupted hours of silence in the house! I dont know about you but our term-weeks always seem to sprint along like an Olympic event: On Your Marks; Get Set; Go! And off we scrabble like crazy demented chickens leaving a trail of unmade beds, random PE socks and unfinished homework in our wake. 

Half term is a chance to reset; Most of my day-dreamy goals of children reading books and playing Lego will be utterly overriden by the hedonistic lure of playstation and Netflix, but still I dream.

One thing, which is non-negotioble, is getting the kids cooking though! It doesn't matter how young or old, I always plan recipes they can make in the kitchen. This year (Mum, if you're reading this), I even want some Zoom-cooking with their grandma, to make her favourite cheesy buttons online!

What are your favourite things to cook with the kids? Often it starts with baking but dont understimate the mechanical building skills of creating a great Beef Wellington or creatively decorating some chocolate florentines with beautiful nuts and fruits. Start with what they WANT to EAT!

We have to teach our kids to cook. If kids don't leave home with basic cooking skills then what can we expect them to do but take out and eat crap? 

As always I'm here to help, to motivate and inspire you with ideas to get back in the kitchen,

Have a great half term,
Camilla