Although it was raining, that didn't dampen the spirits of the participants at CAVU Family Fun Day this past Saturday. Over 70 people including Healthy Weight Clinic patients, their family members, clinic staff, and peer leaders from Greater Lawrence Family Health Center, Holyoke Health Center, and Whittier Street Health Center were in attendance. The day was a hit with programs being run inside as well as outside. Archery went on despite the rain- the archery instructors and participants were troopers but the rain only seemed to add to the experience! In addition, folks were able to go to the Nature Center to see moose bones and bugs, play adventure games with WingSpeed, try their hand at boxing, plant seeds, and milk Milky, the milkable wooden cow!
After everyone had lunch and more fun time, kids from each clinic were recognized for their commitment to healthy living. It was great to honor all the kids and their families for the hard work that goes into making healthy choices. Awards were also given for the day's activities. Ask Kathy the nutritionist from Holyoke; she received one for her adventure leadership skills! The raffle items were a big hit with participants taking home a signed football from a New England Patriots linebacker, a mini-helmet signed by an NFL Quarterback, a fitness goodie bag, and a gift certificate from Hannaford Supermarket. Thank you so much to clinic staff who worked so hard to get folks to the event. Folks left damp but happy!
Monday, August 31, 2009
Friday, August 7, 2009
CDC Recommendations and Study on School Environment
The Center for Disease Control (CDC) has just released recommendations strategies for obesity prevention. Attached below are links that outline strategies and best practices to accomplish these goals as well as recommendations for changes on the policy level. Both documents are available for download.
CDC’s Recommended Strategies for Obesity Prevention:
1. Increase availability of healthier food and beverage choices in public service venues
2. Improve availability of affordable healthier food and beverage choices in public service venues
3. Improve geographic availability of supermarkets in under served areas
4. Provide incentives to food retailers to locate in and/or offer healthier food and beverage choices in under served areas
5. Improve availability of mechanisms for purchasing foods from farms
6. Provide incentives for the production, distribution, and procurement of foods from local farms
7. Restrict availability of less healthy foods and beverages in public service venues
8. Institute smaller portion size options in public service venues
9. Limit advertisements of less healthy foods and beverages
10. Discourage consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages
11. Increase support for breastfeeding
12. Require physical education in schools
13. Increase the amount of physical activity in physical education programs in schools
14. Increase opportunities for extracurricular physical activity
15. Reduce screen time in public service venues
16. Improve access to outdoor recreational facilities
17. Enhance infrastructure supporting bicycling
18. Enhance infrastructure supporting walking
19. Support locating schools within easy walking distance of residential areas
20. Improve access to public transportation
21. Zone for mixed-use development
22. Enhance personal safety in areas where persons are or could be physically active
23. Enhance traffic safety in areas where persons are or could be physically active
24. Participate in community coalitions or partnerships to address obesity
CDC is pleased to release the first set of comprehensive recommendations
to promote healthy eating and active living and reduce the prevalence of
obesity in the United States. The report contains 24 recommended
obesity prevention strategies focusing on environmental and policy level
change initiatives that can be implemented by local governments and
school districts. The MMWR report, Recommended Community Strategies and
Measurements to Prevent Obesity in the United States, is available at:
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/rr5807a1.htm
To assist local governments, states, and policy makers implement the CDC
recommended obesity prevention strategies and report on the associated
measurements a detailed Implementation and Measurement Guide was
developed. The guide includes measurement data protocols, a listing of
useful resources, and examples of communities that successfully
implemented each obesity prevention strategy. The Implementation and
Measurement Guide is available at:
http://www.cdc.gov/obesity/downloads/community_strategies_guide.pdf
On the other end of the spectrum, according to a Center for Health and Health Care in Schools
News Alert -- July 29, 2009, many schools fail to provide a healthy school environment. Please see the below study.
Study of School District Wellness Policies Shows Many Fail to Provide A Healthy School Environment:
In school years 2006-2007 and 2007-2008, many school wellness policies were underdeveloped and fragmented, lacking sufficient plans for implementation and monitoring, according to a report released by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s Bridging the Gap program.
CDC’s Recommended Strategies for Obesity Prevention:
1. Increase availability of healthier food and beverage choices in public service venues
2. Improve availability of affordable healthier food and beverage choices in public service venues
3. Improve geographic availability of supermarkets in under served areas
4. Provide incentives to food retailers to locate in and/or offer healthier food and beverage choices in under served areas
5. Improve availability of mechanisms for purchasing foods from farms
6. Provide incentives for the production, distribution, and procurement of foods from local farms
7. Restrict availability of less healthy foods and beverages in public service venues
8. Institute smaller portion size options in public service venues
9. Limit advertisements of less healthy foods and beverages
10. Discourage consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages
11. Increase support for breastfeeding
12. Require physical education in schools
13. Increase the amount of physical activity in physical education programs in schools
14. Increase opportunities for extracurricular physical activity
15. Reduce screen time in public service venues
16. Improve access to outdoor recreational facilities
17. Enhance infrastructure supporting bicycling
18. Enhance infrastructure supporting walking
19. Support locating schools within easy walking distance of residential areas
20. Improve access to public transportation
21. Zone for mixed-use development
22. Enhance personal safety in areas where persons are or could be physically active
23. Enhance traffic safety in areas where persons are or could be physically active
24. Participate in community coalitions or partnerships to address obesity
CDC is pleased to release the first set of comprehensive recommendations
to promote healthy eating and active living and reduce the prevalence of
obesity in the United States. The report contains 24 recommended
obesity prevention strategies focusing on environmental and policy level
change initiatives that can be implemented by local governments and
school districts. The MMWR report, Recommended Community Strategies and
Measurements to Prevent Obesity in the United States, is available at:
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/rr5807a1.htm
To assist local governments, states, and policy makers implement the CDC
recommended obesity prevention strategies and report on the associated
measurements a detailed Implementation and Measurement Guide was
developed. The guide includes measurement data protocols, a listing of
useful resources, and examples of communities that successfully
implemented each obesity prevention strategy. The Implementation and
Measurement Guide is available at:
http://www.cdc.gov/obesity/downloads/community_strategies_guide.pdf
On the other end of the spectrum, according to a Center for Health and Health Care in Schools
News Alert -- July 29, 2009, many schools fail to provide a healthy school environment. Please see the below study.
Study of School District Wellness Policies Shows Many Fail to Provide A Healthy School Environment:
In school years 2006-2007 and 2007-2008, many school wellness policies were underdeveloped and fragmented, lacking sufficient plans for implementation and monitoring, according to a report released by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s Bridging the Gap program.
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CAVU Family Fun Day 2009
Paritipants brave the elements to try their hand at archery!