Liverpool School Children Limber Up To Go Strictly Dancing

PUPILS in Liverpool are dusting off their dancing shoes in preparation to enter a competition supported by stars of the BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing.  They want to be in with a chance of winning professional dance lessons, the prize up for grabs in a competition launched by Taylor Woodrow de España and local business Halifax, to encourage children in Liverpool to be active.

The UK’s only major house builder in Spain and Halifax are now inviting other school children in Liverpool to nominate a class which is keen to have fun and get fit, by filling in an entry form detailing why they should win the lessons.

Camilla Dallerup, star of the popular show, said:- “We’re delighted to support this campaign. Dancing has fantastic health benefits and also helps give anyone taking part confidence; especially children. It will make them fitter and more able to handle themselves. Dancing is also great fun and children who get into it laugh a lot. It should not be about competition all the time, just about having fun and gaining a talent."

One lucky class in Liverpool will be given ballroom and Latin dance lessons from a professional tutor for a month. The winning class will then be able to enter into a grand final, competing against other winning classes from across the UK, for the chance to spend a day dancing with Camilla Dallerup and Ian Waite from the BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing.

Jen Kirkham from Halifax adds:- “According to a Government report which was published recently*, at the current rate, 3 in 5 children under 10 will be classed as overweight or obese by 2050.  Numerous studies have shown that any increase in activity is beneficial for health as it reduces fat, anxiety and stress and makes people feel good about themselves. Dancing is a fun and effective way of increasing the heart rate and everyone, even the youngest of children, can enjoy it. If you know of a class in Liverpool who would love the opportunity to learn from a professional tutor, then why not step up to the challenge?”

All you have to do to be in with a chance of winning the dance lessons is call 0121 362 4070 and leave your details – you will then be sent a full information pack and entry form. The competition is open to school children up to Year 9 Secondary. Closing date for entries is Monday 7 April 2008.

Northwest pet owners are killing their pets with kindness says PDSA!

FAT pets will die young warns PDSA as it launches biggest ever pet health campaign, Long Live Pets.  Pet owners in the Northwest are warned that they are killing their pets with kindness, after shocking new figures from leading veterinary charity, PDSA, revealed their pooches are the heaviest in the UK.

An alarming 31% of canines in the Northwest are overweight, an increase of 7% on last year’s figures (24%) and higher than the national average! The most slim-line dogs were found in London, where obesity figures stand at a lower 19%.  Nationally, PDSA statistics show a dramatic 9% rise in the number of overweight dogs seen in 2007 – 30% of dogs health checked in 2007 were considered overweight, compared to only 21% in 2006. One in three dogs seen by PDSA PetCheck nurses are overweight.

The release of PDSA’s latest dog obesity figures ties in with the launch of its ‘Long Live Pets’ campaign, the PDSA’s biggest ever pet health initiative, designed to promote a healthy life for all pets. The campaign starts by addressing the weighty issue of pet obesity.  Sadly, dogs, like humans, are failing to win the battle of the bulge, with many owners putting their animal’s lives in danger by feeding them chocolate, ready meals and fatty foods.  This means that the life ‘pet-spectancy’ of many beloved UK pets will be cut short as a result of this obesity epidemic, warns the charity for pets in need of vets. An overweight Labrador for example, could have its life cut short by as much as two years and is more likely to develop chronic diseases such as arthritis when younger.

PDSA Senior Veterinary Surgeon, Elaine Pendlebury, says:- “Our Long Live Pets initiative will address key pet health issues, starting with pet obesity. It is our biggest ever pet health campaign, and our objective is to implement a number of pet health care initiatives such as our Pet Fit Club slimming competition and national sponsored dog walk, which will raise awareness and hopefully achieve positive results for obese pets and address the burgeoning waistlines of the UK pet population.

Each year we see a worrying number of overweight pets, which are more likely to develop conditions such as arthritis, diabetes, heart and kidney problems.  Kindness can be misplaced and feeding any animal too many treats can have serious health consequences. The research we have done shows that there is a real need for owners to help their overweight pets lose those excess pounds. Controlled portions of pet food and regular exercise are vital to ensure a healthy life for all our pets. In a nutshell, exercise, nutrition and body awareness are key.”

When applying PDSA’s 30% overweight figure to the entire UK dog population (around 6.5 million) it means that around 1.95 million UK dogs are overweight! And, if each of those pets was carrying just 1 extra inch around their waist that would make for one gigantic waistline – stretching the length of more than 500 football pitches! 

The PDSA study also shows that hotspots for overweight pets are areas where people are more likely to be obese. PDSA found the number of fat dogs in the Midlands stood at 29% in 2007 compared to 19% in 2006. Recent human obesity figures showed the Midlands had the largest number of people classed as obese. Meanwhile, the lowest dog obesity figures were in London at 19%. Human obesity is also low in the Southeast. Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland all score poorly on dog obesity with 30% classed as overweight by PDSA veterinary staff.  Interestingly, child obesity figures also mirror PDSA’s dog obesity statistics with 1 in 3 Year 6 children classed as overweight or obese.

Case study

PDSA pet slimming success story, Scooby, lost 2.5kg and 4 inches from her waist while taking part in PDSA Pet Fit Club, a 100 day diet and exercise programme.  At the start of her diet, Scooby was carrying 81% extra weight and 8 inches too many around her waist! Her owners regularly spoilt her with fish and chips, curry, pizzas and ice cream. But now she enjoys a balanced diet and healthy lifestyle and has a much improved quality of life. She will no doubt live a lot longer than she would had she remained dangerously overweight.

For more information about PDSA visit www.pdsa.org.uk.

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