Helping families eat better, shape up

As schools and even Sesame Street work to teach children about exercise and nutrition, Rep. Elizabeth M. Dennigan, D-East Providence, has a plan for the entire family.
Dennigan is sponsoring a bill, already passed by the House, that would create pilot community programs to encourage families to exercise and learn about nutrition together.
“We’d like to get the entire family involved in fun activities where there are incentives to be involved. It wouldn’t be just fitness and nutrition, but an opportunity for families to be together,” Dennigan said. “Everybody wants to spend time with their kids. We’re just showing them a different way.”
She came up with the idea when she visited the Myron J. Francis Elementary School in East Providence. A gym teacher had set up, on his own time, exercise and education programs that engaged both the students and parents.
“But when he retired, this great program ceased,” she said.
So Dennigan began to think of ways communities could provide similar programs, and she found several models across the country.
“The models we’re looking at have had incredible outcomes,” she said. “A lot of families would like to be healthy, but don’t have the information.”
Instead of going to the movies or going to watch a baseball game, the programs would allow families to participate in activities at local parks and playgrounds to exercise and learn about nutrition – even participate in challenges.
“One of the programs could be that for several weeks in the month, families are invited to walk 20 miles in that period of time, and at the culmination of that there would be a neighborhood event,” she said. “And for incentives, we’d look at collaborating with local stores giving out athletic wear or shoes, or gift certificates to grocery stores. These programs tend to be fun. It’s a new community activity, not just instruction in the classroom.”
Though the bill has only passed in the House so far, Dennigan expects it to do well in the Senate as well.
“I see a lot of support for it, especially with some of the legislators who represent the urban communities and know these children might not have organized activities for them,” she said. “So these are programs that would be right here, right in the neighborhood.”
Another benefit is that is isn’t expected to cost the state anything.
“We know it can be done with grants from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other grants,” she said. “There is a lot of private and public money available for healthy weight programs, especially for children, and we have to go after these funds so we can incorporate these programs into communities.”
She added that the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation alone has $100 million available for healthy weight programs, and the local business community has expressed interest in sponsoring programs.
“It doesn’t cost a lot of money; we just need a little bit to get started,” she said. “Ten-thousand dollars for a three-month program could be really successful.”
If the legislation is approved, Dennigan said, the programs could be up and running as soon as next January.
“We’re hoping the legislation will pass this year,” she said. “We’ve shown different legislators models from across the country, and now we’re trying to create some awareness and enthusiasm.”

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