North Carolina is facing a staggering epidemic with more than 31 percent of North Carolina’s children ages 2 to 4 being overweight or at risk for becoming overweight.  To address the problem, The Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina Foundation will partner with The North Carolina Partnership for Children to launch SHAPE NC: Healthy Starts for Young Children.  The three-year $3 million initiative aims to improve nutrition and increase physical activity in child care facilities across the state.  The project will combine the strengths of existing programs including Be Active Kids, the Nutrition and Physical Activity Self-Assessment for Child Care (NAP-SACC ) initiative and Preventing Obesity by Design (POD).  The program will target children in child care facilities, their families and communities.  Plans include:

·         30 communities will create partnerships and action plans for obesity prevention in young children.

·         100 early childhood professionals will incorporate Shape NC strategies into their work with children, families and teachers – reaching as many as 60,000 children.

·         1,500 early childhood and other related professionals will implement new knowledge about outdoor learning environments and physical activities for children in child care.

·         750 children will participate in daily physical activity and consume healthy meals and snacks.

Learn more about SHAPE NC.  

As the summer comes to a close and families begin to settle down once again, it is a great time to start new habits and routines.  Below are a few ideas of what you can do to keep physical activity and healthy eating a focus each and every day:

Home:

- do something physical as soon as you get home (avoid going inside the house as it may distract you)

- make dinner preparation a family activity (setting the table, stirring foods, adding ingredients, plating and serving food, etc)

- take a walk after dinner or play a game like Cornhole, frisbee golf, or whiffle ball

- prepare your gardens for the fall

School:

- talk to your child's teacher or administrator about increasing physical activity opportunities during the school/child care day

- suggest healthier snack and party options

- ensure they have the appropriate attire for moderate-intensity activities

Work:

- take a walk after lunch each day

- bring a lunch from home to reduce higher calorie and higher cost opportunities that arise

- ask your employer about creating and supporting a worksite wellness program

Community:

- utilize the physical activity opportunities in your area at least once a month

- look for local produce and gardening opportunies

- be an advocate for health (physical activity and nutrition) in your community by serving on committees, talking with school or governement staff, and writing letters communicating needs, barriers, and solution

WHAT ARE YOU CURRENTLY DOING TO MAKE PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AND NUTRITION A PART OF YOUR DAILY LIFE?

WHAT WILL YOU DO TO MAKE A POSITIVE CHANGE IN YOUR LIFE, YOUR FAMILY'S LIFE, AND/OR YOUR COMMUNITY?

Here is a response we provided for TriangleMom2Mom this month.  I thought our bloggers would find it interesting.

Question: I'm thinking about signing my preschooler up for soccer? He loves sports and playing outside, but I'm worried that at age 4 he's too young? Is there a good time for kids to start organized sports?

Answer: Developmentally speaking, organized and competitive sports are more appropriate for children ages 7 and 8. With that said, children develop at different rates and these developmental stages are age-related and not age-specific. Each child is unique! If done in an appropriate manner, organized and competitive sporting activities are great in building children’s confidence through challenging, team-based participation. If provided with the correct instruction and support, children as young as 4 could participate in an organized sport that will help them develop skills and confidence for later in life. Remember that children are not mini-adults and should not be treated as such. Modifying instruction and drills along with managerial factors such as time, space, people, equipment, and rules are essential. For example, in soccer with younger age groups, there should be fewer people on the field at a time, designated playing areas, softer balls, less air in soccer balls to slow the ball down so they can practice skills, and limited or no focus on points and scores. The bottom line is making their first experience with an organized sports activity a positive one. Encourage skill development, enthusiasm, effort, sportsmanship, and having fun versus winning.

Don’t forget to manage your own expectations and keep in mind your willingness to be involved. Are you prepared for your child to participate in an organized sport? Soccer for preschoolers may not and should not look exactly like the sport of soccer displayed by older children and adults, and it’s highly unlikely that you’ll discover that your son is a child soccer prodigy at this early point in their life. You may, however, discover that your son has a wonderful attitude and is a great “sport” on the field—that should be good enough right now! As a parent, it is your responsibility to monitor the experience, be a positive role model off the field, and assist in the experience when possible. Most coaches at this age are volunteers and have different coaching styles, so check to see if they have received any training in coaching young children. Be prepared to take your child out of any harmful or discouraging situations. If you don’t feel capable of being your child’s voice to make sure he has a positive experience in soccer, you might want to consider something more geared toward simple movement and fun like a tumbling class or swim lessons.

Here are a few key factors to keep in mind as you decide if organized sports are appropriate for your preschooler: the credentials of the coach and their coaching style; your child’s interest, motivation, and skill level; your child’s ability to understand drills, equipment, rules, boundaries, etc.; your child’s motor skill development; your child’s ability to understand the balance between challenge and success; and how involved and supportive you would like to be and can be.

Information provided by the most recent 2009 F as in Fat report, released by the Trust for America's Health, shows mixed findings for North Carolina's youth.  In the past two years, North Carolina has been ranked 5th worst in Obesity and Overweight Rates of children age 10-17 but this year we move down NINE spots to 14th.  Is this because our children are becoming more healthy?  Are they eating better and being more physically active?  Are we changing the culture and infrastructure through initiatives and policies?  There is no clear answer to these questions and the most likely and educated guess is "not really."  Although North Carolina's childhood obesity and overweight ranking has improved, the percentage of children ages 10-17 who are found to be obese or overweight are increasing - 19.3% (2007), 19.3% (2008) and 33.5% (2009).  In relation to the rest of the nation, we are about 1.8% higher than the national average of 31.7%.

So, the bottom line... We're still getting fatter!  Other state's childhood obesity and overweight rates  are growing faster and to a greater extent than North Carolina's but we still have a lot of work to do if we want to decrease the growing percentage of children who are categorized as obese and overweight.

Adults make the assumption that young children enjoy physical activity and are naturally interested in pursuing physical activity opportunities.  Many childcare providers, parents, and naturists believe that just providing time for them to be active or sending them outside will equal active children (at least at a health-enhancing level).   Presenting children with an opportunity, such as unstructured free play and recess; to be physically active is just not enough to get children engaging in physical activity at a high level of intensity (to improve health and affect weight).  A recent study published in the journal of Child Develop (2009) showed:

• Preschoolers don't move around a lot, even when they're playing outside. 

• Preschoolers were inactive for much of their preschool day, with 89 percent of physical activity characterized as sedentary.

• Even when they played outside, a time when children are expected to move around, 56 percent of their activities were sedentary. 

• Teachers very rarely encouraged the children to be physically active.

Share your thoughts!

How are you getting children moving in your community?

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