The Nobesity Samoa programme focused on healthy eating and staying healthy for children from an early age has received support and praise from the U.S. Embassy.  

The U.S. Ambassador Mark Gilbert and his wife Nancy have applauded the initiative which at the beginning of this week, conducted a nutrition activity as part of their second term programme for this year. 

 “What you do all the time to teach all of these great kids here today about eating healthy and about healthy diet is wonderful,” said Ambassador Gilbert. 

He told the children that in the United States, the good lady of the White House planted a garden there because she wanted to show the children and young adults that they can plant these things for a healthy diet. 

“It’s a huge success because the First Lady knows that if you start when you are young and you develop really good habits, they stay with you all your life,” Ambassador Gilbert added. 

He said it’s also important for a small country like Samoa to plant and grow vegetables that they know are healthy because it’s something that is more sustainable. 

“It’s important that you eat healthy, and exercise to give you a healthy body and a healthy life.” 

Nobesity Samoa Programme Coordinator Visceta Meredith of Business Systems Limited, said the programme focuses on the young children from 5 to 12 years of age. 

“It’s just a programme to further encourage and to start living healthy at an early age,” said Mrs Meredith. 

With this programme, Mrs Meredith said they have identified some of the kids who are overweight and with those children they refer them to the pediatrician and the doctors to assist them with more programmes to deal with their weight. 

Mrs Meredith said she has seen the success of this programme with the number of students registered this year and the support from the parents.  She said there was also a good feedback from their community visits and especially the schools they visited during last year’s programme. 

As for extending this programme for the disabled, Mrs Meredith said they have looked into it. 

But their main concern is that they need to be well equipped and they have to make sure that they can handle the needs of those with special needs. 

The Nobesity Samoa programme runs for 10 weeks during each school term and they are looking at extending this programme to the big island of Savaii and also to Apolima and Manono towards the end of this year.