The fourth annual Kellogg’s Health of the Nation 50-hour sports challenge kicks off in Cape Town in September, with the Johannesburg event coinciding with National Nutrition Week in October. National sports stars and celebrities will be on hand to encourage South African children to participate in sports and promote healthy lifestyles. Each event will see 3000 school children participating in a variety of sports for 50 hours non-stop, aiming to “keep the ball alive”.

A new feature of the initiative this year, are the health ambassadors who will promote the event and further encourage healthy and active lifestyles among South Africa’s youth. This year’s ambassadors in the Western Cape are: international spin bowler Paul Adams and Protea bowler Charl Langeveldt, rugby players Anton van Zyl and Chris Jack, and members of Premier League soccer team, Ajax.

The 2009 event has seen unprecedented collaboration between the national, provincial and municipal Departments of Health, Basic Education and Sports & Recreation in supporting the initiative. These departments work with Sporting Chance to target the schools that are in need of this initiative, and are also willing to be proactive about promoting a healthy lifestyle and personal hygiene as well as encouraging physical activity amongst their learners. Western Cape MEC for Education, Donald Grant, will open the Cape Town event.

Sponsors include Kellogg’sas title sponsor with Virgin Active and the Kia Charity and Care program as associate sponsors, with SuperSport Let’s Play and Good Hope FM as media partners. Good Hope’s popular DJ, Suga will also be doing her bit to promote the health messaging of the challenge and assist to keep the ball alive at the Cape Town event.

The Heart and Stroke Foundation of South Africa, which endorses the initiative, reports that 17% of South African children between one and nine years old are overweight. The organisation says that this is linked primarily to unhealthy eating habits, but also that children are a lot less active today. This is made more alarming by indications that lifestyle patterns are largely established by 12 years of age – making it vital that school children are correctly educated about exercise and nutrition.

The challenge brings children together for a fun weekend of simultaneous, non-stop sport where they will experience a variety of sports and also see the positive effects of exercise. Activities include: table tennis, soccer, hockey, badminton, volleyball, netball, running, cricket, rugby, tennis, rounders and rope skipping. This is also an opportunity for coaches to identify and fast-track exceptional South African sporting talent.

For the first time this year, the challenge is prefaced by educational projects at the participating schools that highlight the importance of physical activity, personal hygiene and also give the children guidance on setting goals as well as Kellogg’s nutritionists providing key insights into healthy eating practices.

The challenge is organised by Sporting Chance, a Cape Town-based youth sports development organisation, to help educate disadvantaged children about the benefits of healthy eating, personal hygiene and physical activity in order to fight obesity and develop healthy lifestyle habits.

“Faced with these alarming trends in childhood obesity, we decided to use the fun side of sport to show children the benefits of being active. As well as the health benefit, participation in sport teaches us to set goals, perseverance, teamwork and how to cope with both success and failure,” said Brad Bing, managing director of Sporting Chance.

“Mostly importantly, sport builds our children’s self-esteem and confidence – whether that be to stay off the streets and away from drugs and crime, or to put down the computer games.”

“We heartily endorse this initiative and are proud to be sponsoring this year’s Health of the Nation challenge,” said Sara Wibberely, Marketing Director at Kellogg’s. “The important life skills these children will learn will stand them in good stead and form a vital foundation for healthy, successful lives.”

Members of the public are welcome to come along and support the children during the 50 hours. Contact Natalie at Sporting Chance on 021 683 7299/082 722 9653 or visit the Sporting Chance website for more information.

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