DES MOINES – Gov. Kim Reynolds and Lt. Gov. Adam Gregg announced a new statewide childhood health campaign called “5210 – Healthy Choices Count” this week. The campaign is a public-private partnership with the Healthiest State Initiative and the Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH) to combat childhood obesity.
5210 is a nationally recognized childhood obesity prevention program that focuses on the importance of four simple daily health habits:
– 5 or more servings of fruits and vegetables;
– 2 hours or less of screen time (television, computer, video games, phones, etc.);
– 1 hour or more of physical activity; and
– 0 (or reduced) sugar-sweetened beverages.
“Research has shown that children who have healthy eating habits, are physically active and spend less time in front of a screen do better in school,” Gov. Reynolds said. “Their reading scores improve, they are able to maintain better focus in class and they sleep better. Children who do better in school are more likely to pursue post-secondary education and are better equipped to contribute to Iowa’s economic success.”
“We are not here to tell you what to do but to help you make the healthy choice the easy choice,” Lt. Gov. Gregg said. “5210 does not tell kids what to do but instead provides them the environment to thrive and create healthy habits.”
“This is the first statewide effort to provide consistent messaging and programming regarding the subject of childhood obesity,” IDPH Director Gerd Clabaugh said. “If families are exposed to consistent messaging in many places, they are more likely to adopt and maintain healthy behaviors in their daily lives.”
In November and December 2017, a statewide 5210 campaign will include toolkits, social media, advertising, website content and community commitments. IDPH is working directly with Malvern (Mills County), Dubuque (Dubuque County), Mt. Pleasant (Henry County) and West Union (Fayette County) to implement community-wide strategies around 5210. Each community will receive $18,000 to improve access to a healthy environment.
In the Des Moines metro area, United Way of Central Iowa will work with local healthcare providers and will continue its work with Visiting Nurse Services to improve childcare, out-of-school and school environments.
A good idea would be to bring back sixth grade recesses. This is at a very important stage in a young kids growth stage. Just don’t tell me that these education institutions took away fifth grade recesses. All said and done 80% of good health is exercise, exercise, exercise. For a kid this means fun time outdoors during recess. Fresh air does wonders for a person’s circulatory system. Creates a healthy appetite too. Good Luck.
The previous First Lady touted garden vittles as her cause. This isn’t going to hold water over the long run. Not with how people have to live in this modern world. Convenience will take precedence over the good old home cooking that only a loving mother could provide. The present First Lady is now touting combating bullying which is just as widespread as obesity and more likely to succeed in the long run. As for ‘sugary drinks’ it is in fact ‘High Fructose Corn Syrup’ drinks that are causing layers of fat to develop at such an alarming rate in all.
Hawaiian sugar production is all but gone. So, we get most of our sugar for Dominican plantations perhaps. Open Cuba to trade and well have all the sugar in the world on the cheap. Sugar is a different bird when it comes to sweeteners. It’s the best and by far the most healthiest choice. Always has been. High fructose corn syrup is the product of greed plain and simple.
Madam Governor if you want to fundamentally change the diet of Iowans than you have to go after ‘high fructose corn syrup’ publicly. New York is doing it and San Francisco is not far behind. If you want to be more than a figurehead, for whatever reasons, than just do it. Of course madam you are surrounded by corn. Good luck on that one. lol
Being fat makes all kind of problems who don’t know that. When I see fatso’s on welfare buy this stuff, I want to make them put it back. We got to pass a law says if your on food stamp, live in sect 8, ect, then no candy, no pop, not none of this crap makes you fat.
I don’t like fat, don’t want to keep paying for them that is, my right to do this, stand up for the taxpayers people.
I seen one woman up to the Walmart, she was built like a damn 2 hole outhouse, she was that big. She had 3 kids with her that was real young, they was fat to. Am glad this lady govenor is on this one, fat is no good specially if I got to pay for it.
Since you want to be derogatory in calling out overweight people by cruel words, I’m going to assume by your writing that you must be dumb and illiterate. Sorry.
Corn Syrup is in almost everything. Check the labels and then refuse to buy it.
Corn Syrup is in almost everything. Check the labels and then refuse to buy it.
Cancel EBT Cards and the Democrats will all go on a diet.
High Fructose Corn Syrup is the #1 culprit. It’s that simple.