4-H Healthy Living Update
November 5, 2013
November is American Diabetes Month
http://www.diabetes.org/in-my-community/programs/american-diabetes-month
Programs of Distinction
4-H Health Jam
The 4-H Health Jam engages elementary-age youth in exploration of health careers, daily physical activity, and
experiential study of body systems. During the nine-week program, youth participate in a two-day overnight camp and
an eight-week follow-up. Youth complete the "Walk across Illinois" to achieve 30 minutes of daily physical activity. At
the end of eight weeks, each team has "walked" 448 miles. Participants keep a daily log of exercise, meet weekly to
chart progress, and participate in Get Up and Move activities. The 4-H Health Jam uses an experiential approach to
learning. Research has shown that learning and memory are increased and improved through physically and mentally
engaging activities that stimulate attention and emotions. The 4-H Health Jam looks to the Surgeon General's reports
(1996, 2000) for guidance on motivating youth to participate in and sustain daily physical activity. Through Health
Jam, youth engage in physical activity and identify exercise that appeals to their personal preferences. Youth develop
confidence in their ability to perform and enjoyment of the exercise. Youth eliminate perceived barriers to being
physically active. The eight-week "Walk across Illinois" program provides on-going support from peers and caring
adults to complete the walk and sustain daily exercise.
On The Move to Better Health
On the Move to Better Health is a school-based program employing hands-on classroom education, supplementary
learning activities, and take-home parent education newsletters. The program promotes a variety of healthy lifestyle
behaviors among children in grades 4 to 6. Some of the activities from the curriculum also have been used in afterschool enrichment programs and 4-H clubs. The 5-week program uses classroom instruction; skill-building hands-on
activities; promotional activities in the cafeteria; posters on bulletin boards in classrooms and in libraries; and
individual and family goal setting in homes.
4-H Bloco Drum & Dance-An Afterschool Program for Teens
4-H Bloco Drum and Dance is an after school program in the Brazilian Carnival tradition that is dedicated to
enlivening the community through music, dance, and nutrition education by providing youth the opportunity to raise
academic standards, make better food choices, reduce high school dropout rates, discourage gang participation and
build a sense of cultural pride. The program engages middle and high school students in the Windsor School District
from diverse backgrounds to come together and share their love of music and dance in a safe after school
environment. Drum students learn basic music concepts and techniques of playing various instruments, while dance
students learn basic dance steps and develop their own dance routines. Older high school students serve as mentors
to the students. The program also has a nutrition component which includes healthy snacks and regular food
demonstrations. Participants share their talent by performing at local, state and national events. The participants fill
the air with cutting-edge booming beats and funky horn lines. High energy dancers, in multi-colored costumes, move
to the beat of the drums telling a story as they perform. These original performances are inspiring and entertaining for
audiences of all ages.
Smart Bodies
Smart Bodies is a comprehensive, nutrition education and physical activity program designed to help promote child
wellness. Smart Bodies integrates classroom activities with hands-on learning to teach elementary school children
how to build strong bodies and develop active minds. Smart Bodies consists of three components: 1) the Body Walk,
an interactive exhibit representing the human body, 2) the OrganWise Guys, characters that educate and encourage
children to practice healthy habits, and the 3) Take 10! curricula, a classroom-based nutrition education and PA
program. Launched in March 2005, Smart Bodies is the result of a public-private partnership between the Louisiana
State University Agricultural Center and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of LA Foundation, the charitable subsidiary of the
state’s largest health insurer.
The Family Fitness Program
Childhood obesity is rising, and with it health complications for children now and in the future. The Family Fitness
program offers the help all children ages 8-12 and their families need for improving healthier food and fitness
behaviors and child obesity prevention. The program is based on the Transtheoretical (Stages of Change) and
Motivational Interviewing educational theories. This National Extension Association of Family and Consumer
Sciences 2007 award winning, research-based program developed by Penn State Extension engages diverse
families (rural, urban, income, race) and significantly improves family communication, healthy eating and physical
activity. Children attend 9 weekly or 5 twice weekly sessions to practice making healthy food choices and increase
physical activity via guided discussions and activities. Parents participate in five meetings (three with their child) to
receive information, skills, and motivational guidance leading to improved food choices, physical activity, and family
support. Parent/family learn-at-home lessons, family discussions and goal setting are included. Trained Extension
educators and community collaborators have provided over 27 programs in this research study to document the
program's effectiveness.
Professional Development & Training Resources
National 4-H Healthy Living Curriculum Products
 Health and Fitness
Buy
Online

Health Rocks!®
Buy
Funding Resources
Transitional Living Program and Maternity Group Homes
Application Deadline: January 15, 2014
The purpose of these grants is to provide runaway and homeless youth with an alternative to becoming involved with
the child welfare, mental health, and juvenile justice systems. Transitional living programs will provide runaway and
homeless youth with shelter, basic life skills, and appropriate mental and physical care. Maternity group homes will
provide these services as well as others including parenting instruction, child care, transportation, sex education, and
pregnancy prevention services. Learn more.
Interesting Links
Eat & Move-O-Matic-a downloadable app to measure calories in and calories out of the body
http://nifa-connect.nifa.usda.gov/p4pshpmccd9/
FoodCorps-a national service organization that places emerging leaders into limited resource schools for a year of
service improving healthy food education and access for America’s children
http://nifa-connect.nifa.usda.gov/p5mehxhhytz/
Courage to Care-a nine lesson program designed to be taught weekly that is applicable to a variety of environments
which includes school classrooms, 4-h Clubs, after school programs, other youth programs, and residential programs
http://nifa-connect.nifa.usda.gov/p8y7ozjgcof/
Healthy Weight Commitment Foundation-serves as a catalyst for over 200 organizations to help families and
schools fight obesity
http://nifa-connect.nifa.usda.gov/p2u35iy43fp/
Healthy Kids Out of School-works with some of the country’s leading out-of-school-time programs including 4H, Girl
Scouts, Pop Warner and YMCA to promote three principles for healthy programs:
1. Drink Right: Choose water instead of sugar sweetened beverages
2. Move More: Boost movement and physical activity in all programs
3. Snack Smart: Fuel up on Fruits and Vegetables
http://nifa-connect.nifa.usda.gov/p2orqmfbdnb/
Steps to a Healthy Teen-helps youth develop skills and knowledge in physical education and nutrition
https://nationalfourhcouncil.adobeconnect.com/_a701077731/p3z93c5muzd/?launcher=false&fcsContent=true&pbMo
de=normal
Journal of Human Sciences and Extension Available Online
The second issue of the Journal of Human Sciences and Extension is now available online. To access the journal,
please visit: http://www.jhseonline.com/#!current-issue/c2xg.
Articles in this issue include:

An Evaluation of the Relationship Smarts Plus Program on Adolescents in Georgia

Identifying Best Practices for Engaging Faculty in International Agricultural Education

From John Lee to John Gottman: Recognizing Intra- and Interpersonal Differences to Promote Marital
Satisfaction

The Impact of Extension Gardening Programs on Healthy Attitudes and Behaviors

Preliminary Assessment of Diabetic Youth's Acceptance of Cinnamon in Treating Diabetes


MyPlate, Children, and Formative Evaluation
Conversations About the Weight of America's Children: Barriers Which Prevent Healthcare Providers from
Discussing Childhood Obesity
The Journal of Human Sciences and Extension is a peer-reviewed, open-access, online journal focused on
disseminating knowledge and information to academicians, educators, and practitioners. Topics addressed include
human development (e.g., early care and education, youth development); family studies; agricultural education;
leadership development; extension; health and wellness; apparel, textiles, and merchandising; agricultural
economics; nutrition and dietetics; family resource management; and program planning and evaluation. The journal
seeks to bridge research and practice, thus all manuscripts must give attention to practical implications of the work.
The journal is sponsored by the School of Human Sciences at Mississippi State University and is published three
times a year. They are also accepting manuscripts for consideration in their third issue to be published in February
2014. Author guidelines are available at: http://www.jhseonline.com. Please contact Donna Peterson, Editor, with
questions about the journal or submission procedures at: donnap@ext.msstate.edu.
New University of Missouri web only publications about apps now available
Two publications are now available on the web for downloading only. The first handout below (N580) lists nutrition
and health apps that were reviewed by a team using a tool they developed. The second handout below (N581) is a
SMART guide to help consumers ask the right questions before downloading a nutrition and health app. We hope you
find these to be helpful. These publications were designed so that when they are printed without color ink, they will
retain their quality. Enjoy!
http://extension.missouri.edu/p/N580
http://extension.missouri.edu/p/N581
Sesame Street Characters to Promote Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Consumption to Kids
As part of First Lady Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move! initiative, Mrs. Obama joined Sesame Street’s Elmo and
Rosita on October 30, 2013 to announce that Sesame Workshop and the Produce Marketing Association (PMA)
joined the Partnership for a Healthier America (PHA) in a two-year agreement to help promote fresh fruit and
vegetable consumption to kids, making those healthy choices a little easier for busy parents and families to make.
The agreement allows PMA’s community of growers, suppliers and retailers to utilize the strength and influence of the
Sesame Street brand without a licensing fee, using characters like Big Bird, Elmo, Rosita and Abby Cadabby to help
deliver messages about fresh fruits and vegetables. Sesame Street characters may be on produce in stores as early
as mid-2014. The announcement comes on the heels of the first ever White House convening on food marketing to
children, during which Mrs. Obama called on stakeholders to leverage the power of marketing to promote healthy
products and decrease the marketing of unhealthy products to kids.
Source: Office of the First Lady, The White House
Request for Proposals: National Farm to Cafeteria Conference
The National Farm to School Network needs your help! The 7th National Farm to Cafeteria Conference: Powering
Up will convene more than 1,000 diverse stakeholders from across the farm to cafeteria movement who are working
to source local food for institutional cafeterias and foster a culture of food and agricultural literacy across America.
The conference will take place April 15-18, 2014 in Austin, Texas. They need your ideas, expertise and energy to
make this conference a success! Submit your proposal for a workshop, poster or lightning talk by November 8. For
full details and information, download the official request for proposals.
Source: U.S. Department of Agriculture
Your Holiday Food Safety Shopping List
It's time to prepare for a holiday that's safe and not stressful! In a few weeks, you'll be busy with recipes and relatives.
Prepare for the holidays now by stocking up on the basic food safety items you'll need using our Food Safety
Shopping List. From kitchen clean-up to leftover storage, this list ensures you will be fully stocked to Fight
BAC!® and keep your family and visitors food safe over the holidays. Join us this holiday season for recipes, tips and
tricks to stay food safe! Visit www.holidayfoodsafety.org today to start planning!
2013 The Partnership for Food Safety Education
Educating the Student Body: Taking Physical Activity and Physical Education to School
Physical inactivity is a key determinant of health across the lifespan. A lack of activity increases the risk of heart
disease, colon and breast cancer, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, osteoporosis, anxiety and depression and others
diseases. Emerging literature has suggested that in terms of mortality, the global population health burden of ... [read
more].
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