Young people in York can now take part in new ways to keep fit whilst having fun. The 'Let's Dance with Change4Life' campaign is part of the wider Department of Health Change4Life campaign, which is being headed up by TV talent show winners 'Diversity', and which is aimed at better health by promoting more active lifestyles.

And by doing activities as a family, York residents would also able to share quality time together and improve their health and fitness, according to local councillor Tracey Simpson-Laing.

She said:

"The success of Diversity shows that dance is really popular amongst a significant number of the population, and for many is a form of exercise that they find pleasurable, rather than feeling like hard work. Many people are put off physical activity at school because the traditional syllabus does suit them, so finding alternatives is important. Already in York we have national street dancing champions so there are already groups in the city people can join".

"Dancing burns off a lot of calories, like other forms of physical exercise, but the important thing is for people to find an activity they like doing. For me it is doing Capoeira, a Brazilian martial art, while for someone else it could be yoga or cycling.

"The ‘Let's Dance for Change4Life' is a great campaign that I hope will appeal to a great many families in York and help promote regular family activity. It is important that campaigns like this raise awareness of the need to exercise on a regular basis, and to tackle the national obesity problem.

"In York child obesity is not hugely different to the national average, but the national average is a national embarrassment. It is a trend we need to arrest as soon as possible, before obesity becomes a national epidemic. We are currently looking into what we can do locally to tackle childhood obesity, but at the national level if talent show winners can influence family behaviour in a positive way, then I endorse that approach wholeheartedly".