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 Valley Medical Center announces a new program for parents and caregivers of adolescent girls and boys. BodyWorks, developed by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Office on Women's Health, focuses on helping teenagers ages 9 to 13 and their families create healthier lifestyles. A large share of adolescents have poor eating habits and do not get the recommended daily amount of physical activity. In developing the BodyWorks program, the Office on Women's Health (OWH) found that many teens skip breakfast, have non-nutritious lunches and don't eat dinner with their families. Teenagers spend about three hours a day watching television, playing video games, using the computer, and talking on the telephone, without parental limitations. Overall, teens expressed a desire to have their parents be stronger role models for fitness. They wanted their parents to set boundaries for unhealthy eating habits and sedentary activities, and to engage the entire family in increasing physical activity. The BodyWorks program, therefore, focuses on parents as role models and provides them with the tools and support they need to create healthy lifestyles for their children. Parents who enroll in the BodyWorks program will receive a BodyWorks toolkit and will attend weekly group meetings to help maintain behavior change. Teens are encouraged to participate as well. The toolkit serves as a guide to creating an overall health lifestyle. It includes a video on healthy shopping and cooking strategies, a recipe book, food and fitness journals, a weekly meal planner refrigerator magnet and more. If you are interested in creating a healthier lifestyle for you and your family, and are able to attend ten evenings meetings, e-mail us at bodyworksprogram@gmail.com. |
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