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Mareike Thevis is about to complete her training as a lifestyle coach: “I hope to be able to start coaching overweight children in my area, in Heerlen, as soon as possible in the new year.”
Tailored help
So-called lifestyle coaches for children are trained through the Your Coach Next Door foundation. These are usually youth nurses who help overweight children live healthier lives. You can then link such a child with, for example, a children’s dietician, a psychologist or a suitable sports club. Exactly what suits this child best.
Mareike came up with the idea of becoming a lifestyle coach for children after realizing what such guidance meant for her 11-year-old son Vincenzo. Two years ago they ended up in the hospital in Maastricht because Vincenzo had all sorts of problems that, as it turned out, were due to his being overweight.
Vincenzo and Mareike were led to a healthier life by the hospital. Vincenzo was reluctant at first, so Mareike explains that it was small steps: “Nobody should take a pack of drinks to school anymore, just syrup. This then turned into cold tea and finally water.”
In addition to physical exams, there were also numerous activities Vincenzo could participate in, such as cooking workshops and physical education classes.
Instructions nearby
Vincenzo’s advice was provided by the Maastricht UMC+ Hospital. The method of long-term intensive counseling was developed there by the pediatrician Anita Vreugdenhil. “When we saw that this method worked, we also started developing a more accessible method. It’s called Your Coach Next Door.”
How many children are overweight in the Netherlands?
The latest figures are from 2022: At that time, 12.9% of children and young people aged 4 to 17 were overweight. In 3% of cases it was severe overweight, i.e. obesity.
The idea of Your Coach Next Door is that there are lifestyle coaches for children in every community in the Netherlands, surrounded by a network of health professionals and sports providers. Pediatrician Vreugdenhil: “We have carried out a large pilot project in several municipalities in Limburg, which has proven to be successful. It has now been approved for the entire Netherlands.”
From January 1st, this help will be reimbursed from the basic package. But Vreugdenhil emphasizes that it is still an early phase: “In many municipalities, trainers still need to be trained. The expectation is that it will truly be available to everyone in the Netherlands from 2025.”
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