"We're Not Lazy
- Give Us The Chance To Exercise More"

	Young people have finally spoken out in the 'child obesity' debate that has been dominating the media in the past few weeks. As part of the company's ongoing commitment to meeting children's needs with tailored facilities, in recent research undertaken by Eurocamp, Europe's leading self catering holiday specialist, and youth fitness specialists SHOKK, youngsters have voiced their views on the growing problem of youth obesity in the UK.

Alexandra, aged 16, took part in a London-based Youth Debate Panel said: "I don't think it's an issue of kids being lazier than children before us; it's because sport isn't accessible enough. There just aren't enough proper facilities for us, either at school or in the community. Our PE lessons don't give us the option to choose the sports we want to do, our local playing fields are being demolished to build more houses and playing outside in the street isn't safe these days either, so what do kids do? They go home and play computer games and watch telly. No wonder young people are getting fatter!"

Jake, 11, from Runcorn, who took part in a northwest Youth Debate Panel agreed: "Our local council built a fantastic skate park, but it got vandalised after a couple of days, so we went back to staying at home. What's the point of spending all that money, when it could be spent on something like running supervised activities for kids?"

Statistics and qualitative data generated by the Youth Debate Panels and a survey of over 300 children appear to support recent reports. Articles such as "Obesity: New Child Alert" (Daily Mail, 8 October 2003) and "'Fat Epidemic' leaves one in 10 six-year olds obese" (Daily Telegraph, 8 October 2003); supported by statistics from the Health Development Agency declaring that one in five of the nation's 15-year olds are "dangerously overweight" have swamped the media for the past month, igniting a fierce debate about the state of the nation's young waistlines.

Even 68% of the children surveyed thought that young people today are more obese than they used to be.

The couch-potato lifestyle led by today's young people has created a worrying 21st century trend, exacerbated by the powerful food-manufacturing lobby advertising sugary and fattening products directly at the youth market.

As Trupesh, a 12 year old boy from London, commented: "When someone like Justin Timberlake is advertising McDonald's, kids will go and eat loads of it. Our school dinners don't help either - it's always pizza and chips!"

Morwenna Angove, Eurocamp Sales and Marketing Director Eurocamp, said: "As it can be difficult for young people to exercise when they're at home, Eurocamp's facilities focus on providing as much activity as possible. The Fun Stations (for kids between the ages of 4 and 12), and Base clubs for 13 upwards, incorporate activities such as quad biking, bowling, football and circus acts to keep kids amused and active.

"As part of our commitment to providing first rate children's facilities, Eurocamp has undertaken major research projects during the past 30 years which has given us a real grasp of what kids want out of their holidays, and it's not sitting in front of a computer screen playing games!"