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| COLUMBUS, Ohio --As the first-ever National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month kicks off Sept. 1, dozens of Ohio State University Extension educators across the state will be offering a new program in schools, churches, after-school programs and other organizations. "The 'Choose It! Use It!' program is geared to kids to help fight obesity, but it's also more than that -- it's a program to help kids become healthier," said Shari Gallup, OSU Extension educator in family and consumer sciences. Nearly 25 million U.S. children and teens ages 2 to 19 are overweight or obese, a fourfold increase in 40 years. Obesity strains children's bodies, making them susceptible to adult ailments including Type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease and stroke. Gallup and fellow Extension educators Monadine Mattey, Susan Zies and Kate Shumaker created the new program, which is geared to third- through fifth-graders and encourages them to choose more fruits and vegetables and appropriate portion sizes for all foods, and to use their bodies to exercise. The program includes two interactive lessons that educators will lead in September and October, complete with exercise videos. In between the lessons, the children are asked to complete three activities: Try Something New (to encourage trying new fruits and vegetables), Rate Your Plate, and a Physical Activity Log. In addition, the program is accompanied by three motivational videos. One features three Ohio State University football players – defensive back Jamie Wood, tight end Jake Stoneburner, and wide receiver DeVier Posey; another features Stefanie Williams, Ohio State assistant women's swimming coach; and the third features motivational speaker and former NFL football player Shawn Harper. (To view the Buckeye players video, see OSU Extension's Family and Consumer Sciences website, http://fcs.osu.edu/.) The videos are an important part of the curriculum, Gallup said. "They bring great Ohio role models right into our classrooms, and we hope their messages help motivate children to choose healthy options," she said. "This is just a beginning. We hope the lessons and videos will plant a seed with the children -- and give them confidence and courage to choose a healthier lifestyle." The "Choose It! Use It!" program is made possible with funding from Columbus Foundation. To find out if the "Choose It! Use It!" program is offered in your area, contact your county office of OSU Extension. | ||
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