HEALTH bosses are encouraging local residents to join up to a new life-changing campaign.

NHS West Essex is running the new Change4Life campaign, The Great Swapathon, to urge the public to join together to make small, manageable, healthy swaps.

The Great Swapathon gives individuals and families help and advice to help them make 2011 the year they get themselves and their family healthier.

The initiative focuses on getting individuals and families across the country to swap unhealthy behaviours in food, alcohol and physical activity, to healthier ones.

Through the Great Swapathon, you can get access to:

? a �50 book of vouchers for money off healthier foods and activities

? recipes for healthier alternatives to favourite snacks

? recipes for family options for each meal time, and

? nutritional and activity advice.

Director of Public Health with NHS West Essex Alison Cowie said: “This is a fantastic and simple initiative to motivate you and your family towards a healthier lifestyle. Modern life can make it hard to eat healthy food and get enough exercise.

“There are simple changes that we can make though and the Great Swapathon is a really helpful way to identify and commit to these.

“I signed up to the initiative after visiting the Change4Life website nhs.uk/change4life and have already committed to walking up the stairs instead of taking the lift.”

She added: “Data that we have on childhood obesity suggests that one in 10 children in reception year are obese and that this doubles to one in five children by the time they reach year six.

“Too much fat on our bodies can lead to many preventable illnesses such as type two diabetes, heart disease and cancer therefore I would really encourage families across west Essex to find out more about this initiative and sign up.”

Pharmacists in west Essex are promoting the initiative by displaying Change4Life posters and stickers, giving out leaflets and sign-posting the public to further information.

Visit nhs.uk/change4life for more information.