Care Solutions: Care Solutions Designs New Curriculum Focusing on Childhood Obesity Prevention

The news reports on obesity in America are astounding and a number of research studies have shown that childhood obesity is becoming epidemic. Across the U.S., one third of American children and youth are either obese or at risk of becoming obese.¹ In Georgia, nearly one-quarter of 3^rd graders are obese² and an estimated 6,700 Georgians die every year from ailments related to obesity or being overweight.³

Many organizations and programs are addressing the issue and Care Solutions, Inc. (CSI) is one of them. Inspired by the Georgia’s Nutrition and Physical Activity Plan, of which the Georgia Department of Human Resources (DHR) is a collaborative partner, CSI has designed a new curriculum for caregivers of school-age children. The course is being presented through School-Age Trainings partially funded by Bright from the Start: Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning.

The curriculum teaches those who provide care for school-age children how to promote healthy lifestyles; it was developed as an extension of CSI’s 2006 curriculum offerings and research into brain development and nutrition. Here are the basics of the new Creating Healthy Lifestyles curriculum, premiering in March 2007:

Interactive Overview – Participants learn about the challenges providers face in creating healthy habits among school-age children, and how nutrition and exercise (or the lack of) can affect many aspects of a school-age care program, including discipline and homework.

¹ Progress in Preventing Childhood Obesity: How Do We Measure Up?, Institute of Medicine of the National Academies, September 2006 Report Brief

² Obesity in Georgia’s 3^rd Grade Children, 2005, Georgia Department of Human Resources.

³ Georgia Department of Human Resources, Division of Public Health. Overweight and Obesity in Georgia, 2005. April, 2005. Publication Number: DPH05.023HW

Eat Smart – Attendees learn how to create healthy eating habits – from snacks to meal planning – for school children in their care. The class focuses on reading food labels, creating healthy menus and helping children make good food choices.

Get Moving - This session is a highly interactive class with practical strategies for incorporating movement into a school-age program.

Feel Great – From the first day of school, self-esteem is an important issue facing children today. Participants learn how they and their programs can support and enhance the way school-age children view themselves.

A similar curriculum has also been designed for in-home child care providers who care for children age birth to five.

Click here for a full schedule of Summer 2007 classes.