McCann Health Singapore and Singapore Wellness Association Challenge Childhood Obesity

Singapore Wellness Association (SWA), working with McCann Health Singapore, has launched a new campaign to raise awareness of childhood obesity. 

“Childhood obesity is a serious issue in Singapore, with 1 out of 10 school children weighing in as obese”, Sonia Ong, Director of SWA said. “The number of obese children in Singapore keeps rising. What’s more, studies show that 70% of obese children are likely to continue being obese in adulthood, putting them at greater risk of developing diabetes and heart disease.”

To tackle this problem, SWA partnered with McCann Health Singapore to produce a range of unique growth charts. Typically placed in a vertical manner to measure height, these charts are instead installed horizontally. This simple change in orientation draws parents’, teachers’ and paediatricians’ attention to childhood obesity and calls on them to join the fight against childhood obesity by encouraging children to lead a more active lifestyle.

“These horizontal growth charts help SWA deliver a serious health message to parents, in a simple and fun manner, reminding them to pay more attention to how their kids are growing and the consequences of a sedentary lifestyle,” said Alejandro Canciobello, Creative Director at McCann Health Singapore.

The growth charts have been placed in schools and paediatric clinics to motivate parents to look into programs that the SWA offers and to encourage children to participate in more physical activities.

The campaign, which launched in August, will run until the end of this year.