Dubai: The Ministry of Health and Prevention’s (MOHAP) Education and Health Promotion Department launched the eighth edition of the ‘Lose Grams, Win Years’ programme, which will run from March 14 to April 26, 2018.
The initiative is being held for the second consecutive year with the Sharjah School for Humanitarian Services aimed at encouraging participating special needs students with overweight condition to learn how to make positive changes in their lifestyles through healthy diet and exercise.
“The goal of the programme is to help special needs students who are overweight, and educate their parents about the complications and efforts they would have to exert if they lose control of looking after their children’s weight,” said Nouf Khamis, Deputy Director of Health Education and Promotion department.
She pointed out that it also aims to help students maintain their ideal body mass index and ensure it does not lead to obesity, educating them on ways to healthy eating habits and behaviour.
The Education and Health Promotion Department organised a briefing on the programme which included receiving the forms, selecting participants, taking measurements, and giving a lecture on healthy food, physical activity and healthy shopping for students and their families.
The participant will receive a health file at a later stage, and a daily memo will be distributed including an individual action plan for a new diet and sports programme to be developed with a nutrition and health education specialist.
During the second phase of the programme, the food and sports activities, will be held twice a week. The programme will conclude in a ceremony to honour the winners on April 26.
“The programme meets the government’s directives to implement the National Policy for the Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities, to find solutions to the challenges that impede their integration into the society,” said Dr Fadila Mohammad Sharif, Director of Education and Health Promotion Department.
