APRIL 2019
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Helping Alaska children grow up at a healthy weight
Improving nutrition and physical activity options
Alaska’s obesity prevention program is focusing on new strategies to improve the places we live, learn, work and play. This work is funded through a State Physical Activity and Nutrition grant awarded by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
During the five-year grant period, the program will work with partners and focus on several strategies that help Alaska children grow up at a healthy weight, maintain that healthy weight through adulthood, and prevent many obesity-related diseases and early deaths. About one out of three Alaska children is overweight or obese, as are two out of three adults. Unhealthy weight gain, poor nutrition and a lack of physical activity increase the risk of disease and death from type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, some cancers and other health problems.
Supporting breastfeeding to give Alaska’s youth a healthy start
Breastfeeding has many health benefits, including helping infants grow up at a healthy weight. The CDC and the American Academy of Pediatrics recommend that infants be fed only breast milk for the first six months, with breastfeeding continuing for at least the baby’s first year as solid foods are introduced. The CDC reports that 83 percent of U.S. mothers start out breastfeeding, but only 25 percent of mothers exclusively breastfeed their babies through six months.
The Alaska obesity prevention program is working with the Section of Women’s, Children’s and Family Health; Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program; Alaska Breastfeeding Coalition; and 10 statewide hospitals and birthing centers to support and promote breastfeeding. The goal is to improve the health of Alaska infants through increasing the number of Alaska mothers who start breastfeeding their baby, breastfeed exclusively for the baby’s first six months, and continue breastfeeding through the baby’s first year. These partnering programs will work together to train staff who care for new mothers and babies, as well as revise policies and practices in hospitals and birthing facilities to improve breastfeeding outcomes. These efforts will ensure Alaska mothers receive consistent, collaborative, and high-quality breastfeeding services and support.
Improving physical activity and nutrition for Alaska’s preschool children
Alaska’s obesity prevention program is also launching Go NAPSACC, which stands for Nutrition and Physical Activity Self-Assessment for Child Care. Go NAPSACC is a national online program designed to help child care programs build healthy eating and physical activity habits in children. Programs use Go NAPSACC to improve their practices and policies to meet national obesity prevention standards for child care. The Go NAPSACC online tools include self-assessments, goal-setting and action planning, and an extensive library of trainings and resources. Go NAPSACC can help child care programs improve their menus, add more physical activity into their daily schedules, and educate families about healthy eating and active play.
The obesity prevention program is partnering with a variety of agencies to provide training and resources to help Alaska’s child care programs succeed with Go NAPSACC. These partners include thread (Alaska’s Child Care Resource and Referral Agency), Head Start programs, and Pre-K and military programs. These agencies have specialists who are trained in Go NAPSACC. These trainers will provide one-on-one coaching to help child care programs use the Go NAPSACC tools and resources to make improvements to support the health of young children. Go online to learn more about Alaska’s work with GO NAPSACC or to view tools and resources.
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Photograph courtesy of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. |
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