Health for Schools and Families

RedBranch is a not-for-profit organisation that promotes healthy lifestyle choices in Irish children and young people. We work with schools and parents, and act as advocates for healthy food and physical activity choices.

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Lifestyle News

Rising Obesity Levels: A Cancer Time Bomb

Video Nasty: Too Much TV Affects Health

Children Need Play

Irish Cancer Cases Ahead of EU Average

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Health Information

Think about health before you have a health problem! Many modern health issues are largely preventable. For example, Heart Disease doesn't just happen overnight, it takes decades of poor lifestyle habits to develop. The risk of contracting many common cancers is also linked to lifestyle habits.

Ireland has some of the worst rates of chronic disease in the Western world, with 40% of our population dying from heart disease and 25% from cancer. These illnesses have their roots in childhood, and are heavily influenced by lifestyle. In general, Irish children consume large amounts of junk food, do not consume enough fruit and vegetables, tend to be physically inactive and watch large amounts of TV. These lifestyle habits are a health timebomb, and are linked to an increased risk for:

 
bulletChildhood Obesity
bulletType II Diabetes
bulletCancer
bulletHeart Disease
bulletStroke

Fairly simple lifestyle modifications have huge significance in terms of quality of life and life expectancy, with prevention being a far more effective strategy than treatment. Given that lifestyle habits are learned in childhood, this issue has huge relevance for parents and schools.

Click on the topics on the left for some simple tips that will help you and your family to avoid serious illness.

  Regular physical activity is essential for health

According to the World Health Organisation, physical inactivity is a major cause of chronic disease. The couch potato lifestyle is implicated in   2 million deaths per year across the globe. Regular physical activity reduces the risk of heart disease, stroke, type II diabetes and certain cancers.

 

Tel: +353 (0)61 713 750    email:  info@red-branch.com

RedBranch School Health Ltd, Sixmilebridge, Co. Clare, Ireland

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Last modified: December 07, 2007

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