#U4HKAajse - A movement by Nestle Pakistan

"Creating a world that is truly fit for children does not imply simply the absence of war. It means having the confidence that our children would not die of measles or malaria. It means having access to clean water and proper sanitation. It means having primary schools nearby that educate children, free of charge. It means changing the world with children, ensuring their right to participate, and that their views are heard and considered. It means building a world fit for children, where every child can grow to adulthood in health, peace and dignity."

- Carol Bellamy, Chairman of the Global Community Engagement and Resilience Fund

Children are precious and it’s our collective duty to take care of this beautiful part of our existence as they carry hope and happiness for us as a society. Children’s health is a big concern across the globe and we have many national and international initiatives specifically targeted towards keeping our children healthy, safe and to provide them with better education.

This time, Nestle Pakistan has started a movement “United for Healthier Kids” to raise awareness about the health issues and to direct people towards better solutions. Their movement started with an event in Islamabad and last week they did a similar event in Karachi. The event was specifically for the Bloggers community so that they can create awareness about it through their blogs and social media.

United forHealthier Kids is a behavior change movement for children aged 3-12 years, where partners such as Nestlé Pakistan, Ministry of Planning, Development and Reform, Lahore Grammar School, Jang Media Group, Geo Network, Service Sales Corporation, Silver Oaks School and Parwaan, among others. The movement aims to help parents establish healthier eating, drinking, and lifestyle habits in children through game-changing education and fun ideas to inspire action and influence behavior. Unfortunately, the nutritional and health conditions in Pakistan have reached an alarming level over the past decade as we have the third highest number of children suffering from stunted growth in the world.

United forHealthier Kids movement is targeting towards three major behavior changes in kids.

• Move More Sit Less
• Choose to Drink Water
• Choose Nutritiously Varied Food Options

The idea is not to only raise awareness but to propose better solutions for problems that come with not adopting these. With technology being all in rage, kids these days prefer using smart devices than playing outside, the lack of activity can cause a lot of problems, such as weight gain, weak muscles, lack of social skills and the lack of immunity that comes with having an active body.

The second part is with drinking ample amount of clean water. Children are at a much greater risk of dehydration and it’s relatively more dangerous for them. Since they are still growing, there is all the more need to keep the body hydrated so that it functions properly. The idea is to avoid fizzy and caffeinated drinks that can cause tooth decay, diabetes, weight gain and focus issues.

The last part is about choosing a well picked diet and eating healthy. Nutrition is very important for everyone, but it is especially important for children because it is directly linked to all aspects of their growth and development; factors which will have direct ties to their level of health as adults. Another huge reason why nutrition is so important for children is because they simply don’t know enough on their own to naturally choose to eat well. Unfortunately, the foods and snacks that taste the best are usually the worst for our bodies, and a child left to their on whim will almost always choose junk food over fruits and vegetables. For this, we have to instill proper nutrition trends in our children as it will allow them to partake in more activities and with greater enjoyment.

The event also featured a ‘Twitter war’, a quiz, musical chairs and Misbah pushup challenge which made the event all the more fun. 

For more details, 

Website: https://www.unitedforhealthierkids.pk/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/U4HKPK/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/U4HKPK