MORE needs to be done to encourage Bradford families to live healthier lifestyles, but Councillors have warned that being too “preachy” could put people off.

Convincing parents to ditch the car during the school run and getting young people to swap screentime for exercise were some of the ways to get the people of Bradford more active discussed by Councillors at a meeting on Tuesday.

The Regeneration and Environment Scrutiny Committee were being given an update from Active Bradford, a group involving organisations such as the Council and Born in Bradford.

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Their annual report revealed that in Bradford 77 per cent of children were not meeting physical activity guidelines of at least 60 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity a day.

And 60% per cent of children’s waking time was spent sat down.

Active Bradford aims to promote a number of healthy living and exercise schemes to improve people’s health.

At Tuesday’s meting one member told Councillors it was a “big challenge” to convince people to change their unhealthy ways and get involved in more outdoor activities.

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Councillor Ralph Berry (Lab, Wibsey) said: “The big issue is how we do this without being preachy. We all know children are not getting enough exercise and getting too much screentime. But telling them their kids are too overweight isn’t the best way to start a conversation.

“If this is going to work it will have to be based on a community development model rather than us telling people ‘do this or your kids will be fat.’”

Councillor Taj Salam (Lab, Little Horton) said: “I think we can really improve things if we change people’s behaviour. I see lots of people taking their children to school in the morning in a car. We need to educate people of the benefits of walking their children to school. It is not just that it is more healthy for them, we have to get people thinking about how much cleaner the air would be if that car didn’t run.

“Some roads around school are so congested in the morning and afternoon you can’t move. Some people are driving their children to school from just two or three streets away. That is one of the things we need to change.”

Cllr Berry replied: “We need to get across to parents that if they are driving for a half mile journey, they are contributing to the air quality problems in the district. You’re contributing to children getting Asthma.

“People might not digest an expert wagging their finger at them, but if you relate it to their everyday experience they might understand.”

Jan Burkhardt from Active Bradford said: “We almost have to sell the idea of playing and being active back to children and their families. That is one of our big challenges.”