BRITISH Asian artist Mumzy, England cricketer Adil Rashid and TV and radio presenter Murtaza Ali are amongst the celebrities who have come together to support the Change4Life movement.

Change4Life is a national campaign headed by the Department of Health, which today launches its drive to help families in Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) groups eat well, move more and live longer.

Adil Rashid said: “I am delighted to support the Change4Life campaign. As professional sportsmen, we know better than anyone the value of a healthy diet and regular exercise and I would urge as many people as possible to follow our lead.”

Research shows that the Bangladeshi and Pakistani communities are two of the communities at highest risk when it comes to obesity and the associated health risks, including type 2 diabetes and coronary heart disease.

The Change4Life campaign to reach these communities kicks off with a series of TV commercials featuring its ambassadors, which will be aired on Bangladeshi and Pakistani channels during March. TV and radio presenter Murtaza Ali, professional cricket coach and winner of this year’s Change4Life British Asian Sports Awards Salma Bi, and celebrity chef and entrepreneur Tommy Miah will be seen sharing simple tips which they have incorporated into their own lives, to help motivate others.

Murtaza Ali said: “Change4Life is about families making small changes in their lifestyles. I know that most men tend to take a back seat when it comes to meal times, but I realised that unless every member of the family gets involved and accepts that we need to make a change, our children face an unhealthy future.”

Research shows that an alarming 90 per cent of children today will grow up with dangerous levels of fats in their bodies if they don’t make a Change4Life.

Salma Bi, one of the UK’s only Pakistani female professional cricket coaches hopes to motivate families into increasing their physical activity levels. She said:
“I want to show families that you don’t have to take up a sport to get active – it can be as simple as swapping the car for walking, replacing some of the time children spend watching television with a game of catch in the garden, or even getting family and friends together for a simple game of cricket.”

Professional footballer Zesh Rehman, celebrity chef Shahena Ali and of BBC 2’s, ‘The Apprentice’ Syed Ahmed, are also amongst the celebrity ambassadors who will be encouraging families to make a Change4Life.

Shahena Ali said: “I am thrilled to be part of the Change4Life campaign! These days, everyone leads a busy life; but whatever our age and no matter how different our lives are, it’s of great importance for each of us to try and make some changes for improvement, however big or small, in our diets and our lifestyles.”