Kent families have been taking part in a fitness campaign to lose weight.

Three groups of parents and children took part in the challenge, one team from Sittingbourne, another from Maidstone and one from Dartford.

The groups were asked to film themselves while they followed the Change4Life programme, a national Public Health England campaign which is meant to motivate and support families trying to improve their diets.

Scroll down for audio and video

Kelly Roberts, of Andrews Walk, Sittingbourne, features in the video with 10-year-old Abbie, six-year-old Amber and two-year-old Jacob.

She said: "I took part as my children's health is important and to get new food ideas for them.

"I now look at labels of foods before buying them and I have learnt that eating healthier does not have to cost a lot plus we get out more often and try new recipes."

Research has revealed one in five children enter primary school overweight or obese, but this increases to one in three pupils leaving primary school.

It comes as 65% of people aged over 16 are overweight or obese, according to the Office for National Statistics.

Kent County Council's director of public health Andrew Scott-Clark said: "Childhood obesity is one of the most serious health challenges of the 21st century.

"Obesity is a risk factor in many long-term conditions, including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stoke and some cancers."

As part of the campaign a video has been released by Change4Life to help people understand how they could make better healthy swaps and alternatives in their everyday diets.

GP Manpinder Sahota who appears in the video said: "It's a huge problem that's why I've been trying to raise awareness of this problem for years.

"We need to tackle these childhood obesity cases because there are links to cancer, diabetes, dementia and it's really important we try to increase their activity levels and make children more active.

"Technology has it's benefits but you've got to limit the time and parents will have to limit that time and if you take their iPads and Xbox they have no choice but to play.

"I think family activities are more fun and we're all very busy but it would be nice to participate in the shake up campaign and get kids engaged with sport."