 |  |  |  |  |  |  |
 |  |  |
 |  |
Decatur Township | Hendricks County | IPS | Noblesville | North Montgomery County | Private & Parochial | Speedway | Washington Township
AYS Staff Role Models Healthy Habits to Fight Child Obesity Staff members at AYS, Inc. will lace up their shoes and dig out their sweats in an effort to positively role model healthy habits for the children in their daily charge. The child and youth services agency, operating 45 before- and after-school and early childhood programs in central Indiana, has started an agency wide walking program for employees. The idea to "start! AYS walking" developed from the American Heart Association's "Indianapolis Start! Heart Walk." On September 10, AYS employees will begin tracking the number of miles or minutes they walk or do other physical activity each day. The weekly trackers will be turned in for a chance at raffle prizes. AYS employees have also formed a team to participate at the American Heart Association walk on September 15. "Role modeling physical activity is one of the best ways to teach healthy behavior," said Jill Taylor RN, AYS' nurse consultant through Community Hospitals. "Engaging children in fun physical activity starts with the adult. If they are moving, then we can get the children moving!" Nationwide, childhood and adult obesity are on the rise. For children, obesity can lead to a host of medical and emotional complications, including Type-2 diabetes, sleep apnea, and depression. Adult obesity can lead to heart attack and stroke. In 2004 with a grant from Anthem, AYS began a wellness initiative for the agency to encourage the children in AYS programs to make better nutrition choices and stay active. The initiative includes Jump Kids Jump curriculum from the Indiana State Department of Health and the Marion County Health Department's Kids Cook curriculum. According
to the Marion County Health Department, findings from a survey of Marion County
children and adults show:
|
