Program Description

Program Locations
and Contacts

Program Impacts/
Success Stories

Program Video
Windows Media (.wmv)
Quicktime (.mov)

Program Contributors & Acknowledgments

Schedule & Dates of Future Professional Trainings

The Family Fitness Program

Parents

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

School Partners - where Family Fitness programs have been conducted

 

Parents and students make new friends!

 

Childhood Overweight – What’s the Concern?

• The rate is growing: Nationally, the rate of childhood overweight has doubled in the past 20 years, tripled in the past 30, and now stands at 18%. However, the percent of children aged 6-11 who are at-risk for being overweight or already over weight is now over 30%. In Pennsylvania, 8th graders were measured in 1999-2001, and 35% were at risk for overweight or already overweight.

• How is overweight decided? To determine weight status, health professionals use Body Mass Index (BMI), which takes into account the child’s height and weight and plot on a percentile graph, similar to other child growth charts. A BMI from 85th -94th percentile is considered at risk for overweight; above 95th is overweight. This method is different from adults, whose height and weights are compared to a graph. Adults who are overweight have a BMI of 25-29, and obese are at a BMI of 30 or above. In the U.S., 65% of total adults are now overweight or obese.

• There are many medical problems related to child obesity: high cholesterol, high blood pressure, Type 2 diabetes, and more. The longer a child is overweight, the greater risk for these problems and future medical problems such as heart disease, cancer and complications of diabetes in adulthood.

• What can parents do? The key to protecting your child from these diseases is making changes in the elementary years to increase fitness. Our program does not promote weight loss for children, but rather making positive health behavior changes now to maintain a healthy weight and help reduce their risk for adolescent and adult overweight or obesity and promote lifelong health.

Sign up now to attend a Family Fitness Program! To find one in your area, check the Program Locations and Contacts link. Parents and children must sign up together, as the Family Fitness program was designed to help families partner and make healthy changes together. This cooperation promotes better positive, longer-term behavior changes.  

By attending the conveniently scheduled five Family Fitness Parent/Caregiver Meetings (three with your child), your family can learn how to:

• Enjoy and increase healthy food choices
• Improve family meals and cooperation
• Boost physical activity

You will participate in and receive:

• Healthy meal planning ideas and kid-friendly recipes  
• Family games and activities
• Prizes when meeting your famioy fitness goals
• Parent Newsletter Series - The program provides parents and caregivers a four-part newsletter series in the first family meeting that covers family and child fitness and help you get your family motivated to participate. Parents tell us they appreciate the written materials to reflect on now and to keep for future reference. Each issue contains sections information, family activities, and guidance on:

Nutrition		Family Communication		Time Management
	Physical Activity			Goal Setting

• What can parents do? Sign up your child to attend the nine Family Fitness after school sessions, and three Parent /Child meetings. They will have fun while improving their fitness and nutrition levels by participating in:

• Fun new physical activity games
• Food tastings of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy foods and drinks, and make their own cool healthy snacks
• Set  individual and family goals, and win incentive prizes for making them, such as balls, hula hoops, jump ropes, Frisbee flyers, water bottles, fitness bags
• Activities and discussions with other participants and family members on healthy eating, meal and snack planning, ways to be more physically active

Check out the Student Link for program activity and recipe samples!