How RainbowSmart is helping children eat healthily
Upon reading the Children’s Alliance report on ‘The Health and Wellbeing of Children in the Early Years’, it was harrowing to discover that the UK was ‘the worst for overall diets across Europe’, with the UK suffering a unique ‘double whammy’ of obesity and food insecurity. The report comes in the aftermath of Covid, but it’s clear that the pandemic has only aggravated rather than caused the problem.
The pandemic has made clear that the system is unfit for purpose when it comes to ensuring children grow up both physically and mentally healthy. Over a decade of abandonment for a lot of communities leads to either a lack of food, or an imbalanced diet, which inevitably causes devastating long-term health issues. Of course, it’s difficult to eat healthily on a budget too, meaning that even when poorer families can eat, it may be a struggle to provide a healthy option.
One thing that’s often unconsidered is the fast-food culture bred by a hectic 9-5 lifestyle, where the quickest option is the go-to. Of course, this is an issue for all of us, in that the chance to take a break and put more thought into a meal is rarely available.
The report goes on to say that a lot of policymakers focus on reaching an adult cohort whose health risks have been shaped. Reaching children at the earliest stage is the key to producing a healthier society in the longer term. That is not to say adults should be abandoned in the conversation but picking up habits earlier can undoubtedly set a positive path ahead toward adulthood.
RainbowSmart can be a part of this journey toward eating healthier. Our app builds emotional intelligence, encourages empathy, and helps provide the foundations for both positive mental and physical health. Both physical and mental health go hand in hand; therefore, our mindfulness videos provide the perfect place to start – especially as this part of the app is free.
As well as this zone, and our vocabulary flashcards, our storybooks (available in animated or read-to-me format) provide a great start to discovering how we can eat more healthily. Driven by our Rainbow Drop characters, the storybooks on the RainbowSmart app deal more explicitly with dietary issues outlined in the report.
Take for instance ‘Green’s Greens’, where Green learns that too much junk food can lead to him feeling slightly sick. He also learns that these foods can be enjoyed, but they are best done so in moderation, as well as about the different food groups, and their usefulness to the body. In doing so, he teaches countless others the value of a balanced diet.
As part of the RainbowSmart campaign to improve the health of young children, we are offering a SEVEN DAY FREE TRIAL, with access to all content for one week. As well as the aforementioned ‘Green’s Greens’, you’ll have access to 39 other storybooks focused on shaping young minds to manage emotions, develop resilience, create healthy relationships, develop empathy, behave appropriately, solve problems, manage stress, and so much more!
You can download the RainbowSmart app from Google Play or the App Store now. Visit our LinkTree for more information and the relevant download links
