AAFCS Obesity Initiative
Introduction
Health and nutrition have always been a priority for family and consumer sciences (FCS) professionals. In 2009, President Obama recognized AAFCS founder Ellen Swallow Richards during Women’s History Month for her environmental efforts. One of her many other distinctions was the establishment of the first school lunch program through the New England Kitchen in 1894 in Boston to help ensure that children received nutritious lunches.
In recent years, AAFCS has gathered professionals at a national conference to work on solutions to the obesity epidemic and created a public policy deliberation guide on obesity for citizens to use in forums across the country (http://www.aafcs.org/policy/deliberationpage.html).
With the obesity crisis in the U.S. and the new anti-obesity initiative launched in February 2010 by First Lady Michelle Obama, it is time for FCS professionals to increase our efforts and awareness of the research, resources, and programs FCS professionals provide to improve the health and well-being of individuals, families, and communities.
The First Lady will encourage involvement by from every sector: community leaders, teachers, doctors, nurses, moms, and dads in a nationwide campaign to tackle the challenge of childhood obesity. We can and must be involved and take this to the streets, too!
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How Can I Get Involved?
Consider where and how YOU can be involved: Affiliate level? AAFCS Community? FCCLA Chapter? Your 4-H group? Please join forces with us. Take it to the streets, keep us posted, and MAKE sure you link AAFCS and family and consumer sciences to everything you do!
Let the USDA know what you are doing! If you have a promising practice in the field of child nutrition, please complete the form and email it to childnutrition2010@fns.usda.gov or simply email msinnovate@aol.com with your ideas or comments. Make sure you mention family and consumer sciences as they will post appropriate ideas on their website.
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What Resources Are Available?
 "Taking It to the Streets" PowerPoint Presentation- www.aafcs.org/res/obesity/TIS_2011_PPT.pdf
View or download a PDF of the PowerPoint presentation created by the "Taking It to the Streets" Leadership Team for the AAFCS 102nd Annual Conference.
Comprehensive Obesity Prevention Resource Framework - www.aafcs.org/res/obesity/Child_Obesity_Resource_Framework.pdf
It includes Healthy Habit Rabbit’s Tips, Healthy School Meals, Social and Emotional Implications, Physical Health, Targeted Resources, Other Ideas, Public Policy, Awards and Incentives, and more!
Obesity Prevention Resource Matrix - www.aafcs.org/res/obesity/Resource_Matrix.pdf
This was designed to help identify some free or low cost resources for your work. The list by no means includes all the information out there but will hopefully save you time in locating materials.
Childhood Obesity Causation Wheel - www.aafcs.org/res/obesity/Obesity_Causation_Wheel.ppt
Developed by Dr. Janelle Walter & Dr. Bernadette Hascheke and revised by the team in 2011. It highlights the issues of limited physical activity, neighborhood and school issues, inadequate after school supervision, alternate meal choices, and family mealtime. It can be used as a handout, poster, or slide in your work as you educate others in the prevention of obesity.
Exercise Companion Piece - www.aafcs.org/res/obesity/Exercise_Companion.ppt
Provides simple ideas on how to increase exercise at work or home.
Use as a poster, handout, or slide.
Alternative Food Choices Companion Piece - www.aafcs.org/res/obesity/Alt_Food_Choices.pdf
Family Meal Time Companion Piece - www.aafcs.org/res/obesity/Family_Meal_Time.pdf
Press Release Template - www.aafcs.org/res/obesity/Obesity_Press_Release_Template.doc
Share your fine work with the media by customizing and distributing this press release!
We Can! Website - www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/heart/obesity/wecan/
www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/heart/obesity/lose_wt/index.htm
New Terminology for Childhood Overweight and Obesity - www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nhsr/nhsr025.pdf
Preventing Childhood Obesity in Early Care and Education Programs
- http://nrckids.org
Selected Standards from Caring for Our Children: National Health and Safety Performance Standards; Guidelines for Early Care and Education Programs, 3rd Edition*
Developed by American Academy of Pediatrics, American Public Health Association, National Resource Center for Health and Safety in Child Care and Early Education 2010
New Campaign Promotes Childhood Obesity Prevention - http://recessrocks.com/
RWJF Center Deputy Director, Mildred Thompson, was interviewed for Community Health Center, Inc.'s new national childhood obesity prevention campaign, Recess Rocks. One component that could relate to FCS is a nationwide video contest that seeks solutions to the childhood obesity epidemic directly from children and adolescents. Visit RecessRocks.com for more details. Middle school programs, service learning programs, FCCLA, or 4-H could be a good fit.
School Lunch Plan Battle - www.buffalonews.com/life/taste/article190924.ece?lnkname=art_3
Families, Food and Fitness Community of Practice in eXtension assembled their best back-to-school materials for parents and teachers - https://www.extension.org/pages/%22Back_to_School%22_with_Families_Food_and_Fitness
Blue Cross Good Health Club - www.bcbs.com/innovations/good-health-club
The Good Health Club provides child wellness and healthy eating tips for parents. The free materials come with American Academy of Pediatric approval and are available in English and Spanish.
Body Mass Index-for-age percentiles charts (English/Spanish; front-boys/back-girls)
5-2-1-0 Good Health Club Posters Club Characters Poster for children 2 – 12 years (English) (Spanish)
Fuel Up to Play 60 - www.fueluptoplay60.com/
Let's Move - www.letsmove.gov
“Chefs Move to Schools”
Chefs across the country are answering Mrs. Obama's call to get involved with their local schools as part of the Chefs Move to Schools initiative, run through the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The First Lady is calling on chefs to get involved by adopting a school and working with teachers, parents, school nutritionists and administrators to help educate kids about food and nutrition.
A New Toolkit for “Chefs Move to Schools”
Partnership for a Healthier America (PHA) announced a partnership with All-Clad and several kitchen equipment retailers that will help get schools and chefs started by providing them free cookware kits. PHA will offer these kits to 1,000 schools that have matched with a chef through the Chefs Move to Schools. The kits include induction burners, stainless steel pots and pans, and knives and utensils. The toolkit will also include a booklet with important guidance on how chefs can help their school become a Healthier US Challenge school, suggestions for cooking demos along with other helpful information. Schools and chefs should use the kits for cooking demonstrations that inspire young minds, and to illustrate the innovative ways kids can prepare meals that are both nutritious and tasty.
Affiliate Letter Template to Send to First Lady Michelle Obama and Letter Samples - www.aafcs.org/policy/letters.html
Establishing a Childhood Obesity Taskforce - http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/presidential-memorandum-establishing-a-task-force-childhood-obesity
Action for Healthy Kids -
Fit and Fun Ideas for the Couch Potato Family
Call to Leadership: Elevating School Wellness to a Higher Level
Guide to Healthy School Stores
Taking Action for Healthy Kids - A School Wellness Guide for Students
Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution - www.jamieoliver.com/campaigns/jamies-food-revolution
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Success Stories
 Lois Lewis, CFCS, Minnesota Affiliate
In January, my Foods and Nutrition class took on the "Fuel Up to Play 60" project for our high school. This program is sponsored by the Dairy Council and NFL. We had weeklong events, such as playing NFL flag football in the gym at lunchtime and a pedometer dance off. Other features were Milk Moustache Day, Hallway Exercise Zones, Frost Fest outdoor activities on a Friday night, and promoting pledges to sign up online to do 60 minutes of physical activity each day. Students who pledged and who participated in at least three of the week's activities will be able to attend a pool party at a neighboring school's swimming pool this month! About a third of the high school population pledged, and students in the Foods and Nutrition class learned important information about nutrition and weight management.
Promotional Flyer
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