Grandparents key to nurturing healthy habits in children: HPB

SINGAPORE - The Health Promotion Board (HPB) is working to equip Singapore seniors with necessary health skills to take care of their personal health as they often serve as role models to their grandchildren.

According to HPB, grandparents often take on the role of caregiver to their young grandchildren. About one in three seniors over the age of 55 look after their grand children on a regular basis. One in four households with children under the age of 12 relies on grandparents as the main caregiver.

Hence, it can be seen that one of the most important relationships in a child's formative years is that between a grandparent and grandchild.

To help grandparents inculcate healthy lifestyle practices in their grand children, HPB has launched a programme with the support of the Nee Soon Central constituency.

The programme includes various interactive workshops on healthy eating, oral health, mental well-being and also how to nurture the health of their grandchildren.

The workshops will teach them skills such as how to prevent childhood injury, how to inculcate good mental health behaviours in young children, the importance of eating healthily and that healthier food can be tasty

"By involving the seniors, raising their health literacy and empowering them to also serve as role models for their grandchildren and children, we have planted the seeds of a pro-health social movement in the community. This will in turn, help to inspire and encourage everyone to stay healthy together," said Associate Professor Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim, Parliamentary Secretary of the Ministry of Health and Transport.

Moving forward, Nee Soon Central will be partnering with HPB to organise a series of follow-up workshops that will cover nutrition, infectious disease prevention, childhood injury prevention and communicating with children.

yamadak@sph.com.sg