Healthy Giving for Healthy Living by Rob Bisceglie, Executive Director of Action for Healthy Kids… Holiday gifts are often as decadent as the parties at which they are given. Occasions for overindulging are frequent for the last weeks of the year, just as physical activity levels decline thanks to shorter, colder days. Gift giving – to family members, teachers, friends and coworkers – is a perfect opportunity to contribute to their good health.

The toys and games that kids receive as gifts often encourage sedentary behavior. Adults can teach and model healthy habits by giving presents that encourage physical activity.

Action for Healthy Kids suggests these easy ideas for giving the gift of health this holiday season:

• Fresh produce. Find bountiful baskets at a local grocery store, send a bushel from an online citrus grower, or join an online “Fruit or Veggie of the Month” club.
• Join a gym. Give membership to an athletic club or the YMCA.
• Find a fun fitness class. Gift certificates are available for gymnastics, yoga, aerobics, rock climbing, tae kwon doe, dance lessons and dozens of other active endeavors.
• Make a healthy toolbox. Give toys that can be used in the basement or garage during inclement weather. Include balls, jump ropes, hula hoops, bubbles, and chalk for hopscotch.
• Embrace the cold. Snow toys, skis, sleds, and skates make cold weather fun!
• Plan a family adventure. In lieu of wrapped presents, an active vacation will thrill the family! Try hiking, biking, rock climbing, whitewater rafting, or a walking trek.
• Make the most of screen time. Kids of all ages love motion-controlled video games, music video dance games, and exercise DVDs.
• Don’t forget the favorites. Bikes, tricycles, pogo sticks, roller or in-line skates, and scooters have always kept kids moving!

A fresh, health-driven perspective can make the holiday season an opportunity for children and adults alike to start practicing healthier habits. Why wait for the New Year?

About Action for Healthy Kids
Action for Healthy Kids is the nation’s leading nonprofit and volunteer network fighting childhood obesity and undernourishment by helping schools become healthier places and our kids learn to eat right and be active every day. A collaboration of more than 67 organizations, corporations and government agencies supports grassroots efforts by thousands of volunteers nationwide. In 2009 Action for Healthy Kids reached nearly 4 million children in 8,000 schools. Visit online at www.ActionforHealthyKids.org

A Healthier Halloween… Candy might be traditional Halloween fare, but there are plenty of healthier alternatives to tempt trick-or-treaters when they come howling on October 31st. According to Action for Healthy Kids, a national non-profit organization working to improve children’s health, about half of kids will choose toys over sweets if given the choice.

“Studies have shown that children will grab non-food items such as pencils, stickers, baseball cards or other trinkets. However, for adults this is a shift from the Halloween of their childhood,” says Amy Moyer, RD, MPH, of Action for Healthy Kids.

When many of today’s parents and grandparents celebrated Halloween as children, the health climate was much different. A third of children and teens are now overweight or obese — three times more than in the 1980s.

Adults can help usher in a new era of healthier Halloween celebrating. For trick-or-treat fare, Moyer suggests scouting out discount and party supply stores and the seasonal aisle of supermarkets for inexpensive items that come in large quantities such as plastic spider rings, bracelets, barrettes, and small toys. Healthier food options include small packages of pretzels or crackers, boxes of raisins, mini cereal boxes, 100% fruit sticks, and nut-free trail mixes.

Smarter School Partying

Trick-or-treating isn’t the only time when candy is traditionally a mainstay; school parties also are often chock full of sugary treats.

“Classroom parties are a perfect opportunity for teachers and parents to make simpler changes that improve health,” says Moyer. “The key is to practice what you teach when it comes to eating healthy and being active. Healthier party foods and active party games teach children that having fun and being healthy go hand-in-hand.”

Using classroom parties to reinforce healthy habits can have a lasting impact on a child’s overall health. Moyer urges party-planners to think of ways to make parties active, such as incorporating a dance theme or providing extra recess. Classroom parties can offer fun but healthy foods such as no-butter popcorn, whole-grain crackers with cheese, or fruits or vegetables with dip.

Teachers and parents can get further healthy school party planning ideas on the Action for Healthy Kids website (www.actionforhealthykids.org).

About Action for Healthy Kids
Action for Healthy Kids® is the nation’s leading nonprofit and largest volunteer network fighting childhood obesity and undernourishment by helping schools become healthier places and our kids learn to eat right, be active every day and be ready to learn. A collaboration of more than 70 organizations, corporations and government agencies supports grassroots efforts by 20,000+ volunteers nationwide. In the 2009-10 school year, Action for Healthy Kids reached 4.5 million students in 9,200 schools. More information is available on Facebook and on Twitter. Visit online at www.actionforhealthykids.org

Action for Healthy Kids applauds the Obama Administration and fully supports efforts by First Lady Michelle Obama and the national Let’s Move campaign to help America’s children grow up healthy and strong, and to address the continuing epidemic of childhood obesity. That 1 out of 3 children are overweight or obese should be unacceptable to us all. The goal of eliminating childhood obesity in a generation is an extremely important and worthy goal that we wholeheartedly support.

We welcome the leadership and formation of Partnership for a Healthier America, to be chaired by the First Lady, to unite the public and private sectors, other organizations, business and thought leaders, the media, and states and local communities to make meaningful and measurable commitments to fighting childhood obesity. Combined with Surgeon General Regina Benjamin’s recent statement on the urgent need to address obesity, the Obama Administration’s commitment to a strong Child Nutrition Reauthorization bill, and $10 billion in additional investments in the President’s budget, we believe it is more possible than ever before to truly make a difference in the lives of millions of children.

With more than 12,000 volunteers in communities nationwide and partnerships with leading national organizations and governmental agencies in health, education, nutrition and physical activity, we stand ready to contribute to this new national campaign. During the 2008-09 school year alone, Action for Healthy Kids reached nearly 4 million children in 8,000 schools around the country.

About Action for Healthy Kids
Action for Healthy Kids® is the nation’s leading nonprofit and largest volunteer network fighting childhood obesity and undernourishment by working with schools to improve nutrition and physical activity to help our kids learn to eat right, be active every day and be ready to learn. We provide expertise, volunteers, programs and resources nationwide through a unique collaboration of thousands of professionals, parents, educators, community volunteers and students, in partnership with more than 65 professional associations, government agencies and corporations. More information is available at ActionforHealthyKids.org.