 | The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA |
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| The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA |
Jennifer Pruitt, Lynn Seim, MSN, RN, Josefine Wendel, MS, RD, and Roy Grant. The Children's Health Fund, 317 East 64th Street, New York, NY 10021, 212-535-9400, jpruitt@chfund.org
“Healthy KIDS (Knowledge Improving Diet and Strength)” was developed to address the increasing prevalence of obesity in children and health related risks, including hypertension and type 2 diabetes. The program consists of newsletters in English and Spanish which provide children and families with information concerning nutrition and exercise. Each quarterly newsletter highlights a different food group – carbohydrates, fruits and vegetables, dairy, and protein. Newsletters include general nutrition information, age appropriate activities (e.g., how to measure teaspoons of sugar in your soda; make your own activity pyramid, “TV magic” with physical activities to perform during commercials, etc.), reading suggestions, and a “grown up corner” that provides caregivers with relevant advice to promote healthy food choices and activities. The target audience is children 10 to 12 years old and the adults in their life. All Healthy KIDS materials are produced in accordance with low-literacy conventions, written at or below the fifth grade reading level and incorporating ethnic and cultural diversity into content and illustration. Materials are field tested within the national network of health programs sponsored by The Children’s Health Fund, an organization committed to the medically underserved. All materials are developed by an interdisciplinary team of nurse practitioners and nutritionists from urban and rural settings, and reviewed for cultural relevance by a medical anthropologist. This presentation will focus on the development of materials which promote healthy lifestyles in diverse populations. Healthy KIDS is partnership of The Children’s Health Fund and MetLife Foundation.
Learning Objectives:
Keywords: Health Behavior, Nutrition
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.