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Easy ways to move more


We want to help every family in County Durham move more, eat well and live longer.

But these days, 'modern life' can mean that many of us are much less active, using the car more to do our shopping, playing computer games and having lots of TV channels to watch.

Add to this the huge increase in convenience foods and the number of fast-food outlets on our doorstep and it is not surprising that we don't move about as much or eat as well as we should.

Healthier Families is an NHS programme which aims to help us all, but especially our kids, eat well, move more and live longer. Check it out for recipe ideas, useful tips and ideas on staying active.

Moving more

Being more active will help you to be a healthy weight. Here is some information and tips for you to try.

  • Walk or cycle on short journeys.
  • Do an activity that makes you slightly out of breath for 30 minutes, five times a week.
  • Do two strength sessions a week. This could be using cans of beans or shopping bags, doing the gardening, or something like yoga.
  • Children over five should be doing one hour of activity every, this can be broken up into short bursts, like the NHS 10 minute shake up games

Did you know kids need to be physically active for 60 minutes a day, with 30 minutes of that activity taking place outside of school?  Why not try the Healthier Families Activities for ideas on how to get your family moving!

Community classes are offered through our ways to wellbeing programme. This offers adults different ways to improve their health and wellbeing including meeting new people, being more active and learning new skills.

Why not visit one of our 14 leisure centres across the county that offer a wide range of facilities and activities.

You can also get further support for health and wellbeing from Wellbeing for Life.

School holiday activities

We know staying active and eating well during the school holidays can be hard for families, so our Fun and Food programme offers lots of free activities across the county, which all include a healthy meal or snack. 



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