Feature - A weight off their minds

From the outside, the rather forlorn-looking former Steel Inn pub on Sheffield's Manor Estate isn't where you'd normally expect to find one of the most innovative youth projects of its kind in the UK. But, based on one of the area's toughest estates, the Shine project is quietly carving a reputation as one of the most forward-thinking youth obesity projects in the country.

Here, away from all the bullies and nudging members of the public, young people aged 10 to 17 share experiences, learn how to live more healthily and, above all, start to enjoy life again. Although many of the children and young people attending look overweight, they don't act as if they are. In one room a group of about 20 are dancing to a blaring stereo while, in another, half a dozen are crowded around a table learning how to concoct fruit smoothies.

The personalised advice and support the project is offering is just the approach the government is advocating. In January, the Department for Health released the document Healthy Weight, Healthy Lives, which identified five key areas where action could be taken to prevent the UK from sleepwalking into an obesity epidemic. Crucially, the action plan recognised obesity as a symptom of other deep-rooted problems - one that required personalised advice and support. It also signalled the need for early intervention if children and young people are considered overweight.

With estimates that some 60 per cent of us in the UK will be obese by 2050, it's no wonder that programmes such as Shine are attracting so much attention from health professionals and government alike.

The programme was established by Kath Sharman, a qualified child and adolescent therapist and counsellor, after she approached the director of the local Education Action Zone with the idea of offering support to overweight children and young people living locally. Initially she was granted access to two schools in the area but not all went well in the beginning. "Naively, I began by bombarding the children with PowerPoint presentations," recalls Sharman. "But after learning from the 200 10- to 17-year-olds we've helped since, our approach is very different."

Emotional support

The course comprises three 12-week programmes focusing in different ways on healthy eating and self-care, with the children and young people referred from local hospitals, social services and GPs. The young people participate in physical activity and receive that all-important emotional support to identify and address the triggers for their excessive eating.

Oozing compassion, Sharman says many of the children and young people referred have sad lives. Many have suffered taunts at school from their peers and are socially excluded. "The bullying means they tend to miss classes, which in turn makes them low achievers," she says. "At home, they stay in playing on computers. Their only comfort is food."

As someone who herself was obese for 20 years until she shed an incredible 10 stone, Sharman argues obesity management is not as simple as some people think. "If it was just: 'Eat less, exercise more' we'd not be facing the epidemic we have today," she says.

"Many young people gain weight as a result of some sort of emotional event such as parental break-up, family bereavement, moving away from friends, changing schools, or childhood trauma such as physical and sexual abuse. Until the psychological consequences of obesity are addressed, it is difficult to change eating patterns."

Experience has also taught her that the parents or guardians have to be involved for the programme to be a long-term success for the child. The challenge, however, is getting them on board. "Many parents have a real fear that their children will be taken into care, so we have to try to convince them it's not about judging or blaming, but about how we can help them as a family."

All this explains why Shine is not just about losing inches around the waistline, but also about building confidence, peer support and freedom of expression. In short, it is helping those taking part to lead happy childhoods.

One graduate of the programme is 18-year-old Emma Hinchliffe. She describes Shine as a life-saver. Four and a half years ago, Emma was being bullied, her self-esteem was rock bottom and she felt suicidal at times. Today, she is a confident young woman studying for a maths degree at Sheffield University, and she spends much of her free time as a facilitator for Shine.

"I weighed 13.5 stone back then, but the bullying wasn't just due to my weight. It was also because I wore glasses and enjoyed schoolwork," says Emma. "When I visited Shine, Kath told me the implications if I did not lose weight, then showed me a photo of herself a couple of years previously. That's when it struck home." Emma started attending sessions, and to her surprise, even started to enjoy doing exercise. "One day I was at school on the trampoline and the PE teacher called out in front of the class and said 'You've lost some weight.' But I didn't mind. By then, I could let comments pass over me."

The club goes beyond merely offering weight advice and tries to get the young people involved in regular youth work activities. All the young people are encouraged to do outdoor pursuits and camping, and those over 14 can work towards Duke of Edinburgh Awards.

Tam Fry, chair of the Child Growth Foundation and board member of the National Obesity Forum, believes it is this non-clinical approach that makes the project work. "Children and young people won't do anything that they don't enjoy," he says. "Any project that doesn't put enjoyment at the top of the list will fail. Shine succeeds because it is run by a very enthusiastic lady who understands the needs of those she works with."

Funding nightmares

Despite all its success, the funding "nightmare" continues, as Sharman puts it.

The project relies heavily on a team of volunteers who generously give their time. But without such benevolence, Shine would need about £250,000 a year. To date it has existed on small pots of funding amounting to less than £40,000 a year from Sheffield City Council, the youth opportunity fund, South Yorkshire Community Funds, HSBC First Direct and The National Youth Agency. Sharman hopes that a study conducted by Sheffield University and Sheffield Children's Hospital into the impact the programme has had on 108 young people will help attract funding when published later this year.

She also hopes some of the government's £372m earmarked to promote healthier living may trickle down to projects like hers that specialise in work with overweight young people. She does not count on it, though. "I've been in contact with the Department of Health, asking where the money is to back up the apparent priority it's been made, but I haven't been able to get an answer. The only target right now is to reduce the onset of obesity among the under-11s, but no provision is made for children older than that.

"But if today's children really are in danger of dying before their parents, as they say, then where is the money?"

DANIELLE AND LUKE, BOTH AGED 15

Listen to him brag about his mean low-fat chicken curry and you might think Luke is a rather privileged adolescent "foodie", but the truth is different. "I used to get into lots of trouble at school, usually fights," he says. "But actually I was the victim. I'd be sat in the corner because I was so shy, I had no friends and I kept getting bullied because I was 18 stone at the time."

Since joining Shine in January 2007, Luke has lost almost five stone, cut down on chocolate and chips and exercises regularly. He admits therapist and counsellor Kath Sharman was blunt when assessing him.

"She told me I could get high blood pressure, heart disease and diabetes and that I could be dead by the time I was 40. I thought these diseases only happened to adults, not children," he shudders. "Now, every time I want to eat, I remember those words. It helps me keep to my healthy-eating programme and also volunteering."

Danielle started attending Shine five months ago after her mum suggested it. At the time she was 12 stone and also unhappy and shy. Now two stone lighter, she admits her culinary repertoire does not stray beyond beans on toast, but plans on expanding this after her second 12-week Shine course. Like Luke, she wants to give something back to the charity and helps supervise sports activities.

"A lot of people forget fat people are human beings and not worthless," she says.