See It: The Community being helped

As a nation we’ve been steadily getting heavier. According to national data over 65% of adults Americans are now overweight or obese. And, now 16% of children and teens are overweight as well. As we know, being overweight or obese can lead to a number of health problems and chronic diseases, but We Can! make a difference!

Ways to Enhance Children’s Activity & Nutrition, or We Can!, is a new national public education program from the National Institutes of Health to prevent overweight and obesity among youth ages 8-13. We Can! reaches parents and caregivers in home and community settings with educational materials and activities to encourage healthy eating, increase physical activity, and reduce sedentary time. The initiative is unique among existing youth obesity-prevention efforts in its focus on parents and families as a primary group for influencing youth audiences. By empowering parents with the knowledge and tools for a healthier lifestyle We Can! will start a change in the most important area of children’s lives, the home.

The program outlines five desirable behaviors for parents:

1. Increase the availability of healthy food in the home
2. Enjoy small portions at home and at restaurants
3. Limit the availability in the home of sweetened beverages and high-fat foods
4. Support and enable family physical activity
5. Support and enable reduced screen time

The program also outlines five desirable behaviors for youth:

1. Choose a sufficient amount of a variety of fruits and vegetables per day
2. Decrease consumption of high-fat foods and energy-dense foods that are low in nutrient value
3. Substitute water, fat-free milk, or low-fat milk for sweetened beverages
4. Engage in at least 60 minutes of moderate physical activity on most days of the week
5. Reduce sedentary activity by limiting screen time to no more than 2 hours per day.

With these focal points in mind, the We Can! program will engage parents and families in educational and fun activities to learn the many different facets of nutrition and exercise to use knowledge as a preventative measure against childhood obesity.