Newton County Partners Launch WE CAN! to Fight Youth Obesity

New Federal Program for Families Comes to Newton

Covington, GA—We see the Strong 4 Life billboards on I-20 warning of childhood obesity and hypertension. We notice the ads on TV that depict kids suffering with weight issues. While this has been a controversial approach, the issue is validated by the growing obesity rates in Georgia. In 2008, 32% of local adults are considered obese, according to the CDC, and estimates suggest that number is rising. Alongside this campaign, September has been made National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month.

Newton Partnership is launching WE CAN! (Ways to Enhance Children’s Activity & Nutrition), a new program from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to address the growing obesity epidemic among youths ages 8-13 in a very positive way. WE CAN! reaches parents and caregivers in home and community settings with educational materials and activities including a new six-lesson course for parents, a new parent web site (http://wecan.nhlbi.nih.gov), a parent handbook in both English and Spanish, several youth programs, and community events and projects.

“Parents in Newton have new resources to help their families maintain a healthy lifestyle,” said Laura Bertram, Executive Director of Newton Partnership. “With the materials that the WE CAN! program offers, we can help make a difference in the lives of our residents.”

Activities for the WE CAN! program include an upcoming parent program, youth program and a community event in November to recognize National Diabetes Awareness Month.

“This issue is so important to our community since outside of organized sports teams, there are few physical outlets for children in our community,” said Bertram. “Newton Partnership welcomes community partners that would like to join us in spreading this information and taking on this important effort,” said Bertram. “We also invite local groups that would like to offer this great program to adults and or kids in their organization. The educational segments are brief, fun and can incorporate snacks and games.”

“WE CAN! is designed to empower parents by providing them the tools they need to promote healthy eating, increase physical activity and reduce sedentary time within their families,” said Dr. Elizabeth G. Nabel, Director of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) at NIH.

WE CAN! reaches parents and caregivers in home and community settings with educational materials and activities. Specifically, WE CAN! encourages parents and caregivers to:

• ·         Increase the availability and accessibility of healthy foods in the home
• ·         Enjoy small portions at home and at restaurants
• ·         Limit the availability and accessibility in the home of sweetened beverages, high-fat foods and energy-dense foods that are low in nutrients
• ·         Support and enable family physical activity
• ·         Support and enable reduced screen time
• WE CAN! encourages children ages 8-13 to:
• ·         Choose a sufficient amount of a variety of fruits and vegetables per day
• ·         Enjoy small portions at home and at restaurants
• ·         Decrease consumption of high-fat foods and energy-dense foods that are low in nutrient value
• ·         Substitute water, fat-free or low-fat milk for sweetened beverages
• ·         Engage in at least 60 minutes of moderate physical activity on most, preferably all, days of the week.
• ·         Reduce sedentary activity by limiting screen time to no more than two hours per day.

WE CAN! is based on an in-depth review of the leading science-based literature on obesity prevention, an environmental scan of relevant materials from federal and non-federal agency programs as well as the demonstrated capacity of community-based settings. NHLBI is joined by three other NIH institutes—National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, and National Cancer Institute—in promoting WE CAN! to provide a comprehensive federal government response to the critical issue of childhood obesity.

NIH has designed WE CAN! so that any local civic groups, parents groups, churches and others can implement these activities in their communities. To date, 1,510 sites in 50 states (59 others in Georgia) have committed to using WE CAN! program materials and organize classes and events. More information on WE CAN! for parents, caregivers and community organizations is available from the Newton Partnership. For more information on how local groups can tap into these resources, contact nccp@bellsouth.net or 770-786-8487. Healthy tips and helpful bits will be posted on Newton Partnerships’ Facebook page and Twitter accounts too.