Technology is being harnessed positively to encourage our ‘iPad generation' to keep active and eat well!

On Tuesday, the Zespri Young and Healthy Virtual Adventure kicked off at Te Akau ki Papamoa Primary School.

Some 20,000 Kiwi kids – with many across Tauranga and the Western Bay of Plenty – will get join the programme this year, creating their own avatars as they go on exciting virtual adventures across continents and take part in fun activities as they learn the importance of exercise and a healthy diet.

Young and Healthy's founder Kim Harvey has run the programme in NZ schools for six years now and is taking advantage of kid's love of technology to promote health. '

We use a little bit of technology in a good way to engage these kids, have some fun with them and get them moving and thinking about what they're eating and drinking and just little things that can help them every single day to help them feel the best they can,” says Kim.

'There's lots of really good science supporting that up to the age of 10, [so] it's the time to lay down these healthy habits that you can then carry into adulthood.”

Black Caps captain Kane Williamson is getting behind the programme. 'Being an Asics ambassador, it's a nice opportunity to promote something really healthy, which is kids being active, having good overall wellbeing – whether it's nutrition, getting outside, playing sports, getting good sleep…the virtual world connects with young people so well these days so I think it's a great initiative and one I'm really proud to be supporting.”

Zespri's Kiwi Brothers showed up and had plenty of vitamin C rich kiwifruit for the Te Akau ki Papamoa Primary School's students.

Zespri's Rachel Lynch says: 'At Zespri we really want to see communities and the environment thrive and this programme is just that and it does it by helping tamariki make really healthy choices”. 'We know kids love iPads and online games and it harnesses that love but it makes real world changes for positive, healthy living.” For more information, visit: https://www.youngandhealthy.org.nz/