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For the third year in a row, Londonderry (NH) Middle School is holding a silent auction aimed at raising money for the schools wellness programs. Entertainment and sports tickets and museum packages are included among the auction items.

This year's auction is set for tomorrow, Dec. 1, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., in the school.

"This is the third year that the Londonderry School District has taken steps to tackle the problem of childhood obesity, the Derry News reported. The middle school was applauded for its efforts by representatives from the Foundation for Healthy Communities and Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield last year."

The Londonderry wellness committee meets several times a year to brainstorm ideas for helping kids lives healthy lifestyles, the paper reported. The committee's most recent initiative, 5-2-1-0 encourages kids to eat five servings of fruits and vegetables each day, cut their TV and computer time to two hours a day, spend one hour a day engaged in moderate to vigorous physical activity, and reduce their consumption of sugar-sweetened drinks to zero.

Labels: schools, middle school, wellness

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The Institute for Youth, Education, and Families (YEF Institute) has launched a one-year technical assistance initiative that will assist six U.S. cities in promoting community wellness and combating childhood obesity. Each city has developed a leadership team comprised of both city and school district staff.

"The one-year technical assistance initiative will provide municipal and school leaders with peer learning opportunities and consultation with national experts in the areas of local wellness policies, childhood obesity, healthy eating, active living and school health councils."

In April, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation announced that it was committing $500 million over the next five years toward combating childhood obesity. As childhood obesity has become a greater concern nationwide, local wellness policies have attracted the attention of major foundations and of Congress. Read more at NLC.org.

Labels: awareness, wellness, community

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A new study conducted by the IBM Corporation found that employers are in a powerful position to positively affect the health not only of employees, but employees’ families.

“In 2008, IBM launched an Internet-based ‘children’s rebate program’ that let employees and their families choose from a selection of goals revolving around healthy eating, group physical activity, reduced ‘screen time’ and positive parental role-modeling. A $150 check was offered as incentive to complete the 12-week program.” - Source: Reuters

Of the more than 22,000 employees who signed up for the program, about 12,000 completed it. On average, children whose families participated in the program increased their physical activity by 16 percent. Screen time was reduced by 6 percent – not a lot, but an improvement none-the-less. IBM believes its model could be just as successful in other corporations, both large and small.

 

Labels: wellness, families

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