The Idaho Physical Activity and Nutrition (IPAN) program works statewide to improve healthy eating and active living opportunities. A focus on policy and environmental changes makes the healthy choice the easy choice for Idahoans. We work with community partners to maximize resources and impact as everyone (schools, work sites, cities, businesses and more) are needed to prevent obesity and improve health in our communities. Current projects focus on working with parents and child care providers to improve the health environment for children, worksite and school wellness.
IPAN Coordinator: Jordan Seward
208-455-5313
Jordan.Seward@phd3.idaho.gov
Children with working parents spend a large portion of their day in child care settings. Don’t forget to consider the health environment when choosing child care for your child. Healthy habits learned early translate to a long, happy, and healthy life!
Healthy environments to consider include: healthy eating, healthy beverages, physical activity, limits on screen time, and supporting breastfeeding moms.
Resources below include parenting helps as well as guidance when selecting child care.
For Parents
- IdahoSTARS – Help Finding the Best Child Care
- IdahoSTARS – Child Care Checklist for Parents
- Family Checklist for Nutrition in Early Care and Education and Family Checklist for Physical Activity in Early Care and Education – from the National Resource Center for health and Safety in Child Care and Early Education.
- Healthy Children – updated, accurate information from the American Academy of Pediatrics
- Just in Time Parenting Newsletters – reliable parenting information for kids ages 0-5 from the Cooperative Extension System.
Live Better Idaho helps connects families to services including child care.
https://www.livebetteridaho.org
Text4baby sends FREE text messages to help new moms through pregnancy up to baby’s first birthday.
For Child Care Providers
Healthy Kids, Healthy Future continues the work of Let’s Move! Child Care (LMCC), part of Former First Lady Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move! initiative to prevent childhood obesity. Healthy Kids, Healthy Future encourages and supports child care and early education providers to make positive changes in their programs in order to work toward a healthier future for children.
Healthy Kids, Healthy Future offers childhood obesity prevention resources and tools to assist child care and preschool providers. Best practices are outlined in five healthy goal areas:
- Nurturing Healthy Eaters: Offer children healthy food choices; options that will nurture their bodies and fuel brain development.
- Provide Healthy Beverages: Water helps keep a child growing appropriately and all parts of the body working properly.
- Get Kids Moving: Provide 1-2 hours of physical activity throughout the day. Children of all ages can benefit from regular physical activity – it improves children’s physical and mental health, learning of social skills, and cognitive development.
- Reduce Screen Time: No screen time for children less than 2 years. For children age 2 and older, strive to limit screen time to no more than 30 minutes per week during child care.
- Support Breast Feeding: Child care settings are crucial supports for mothers who wish to continue to breastfeed while working outside the home.
For more information and to sign up for the Healthy Kids, Healthy Future Child Care program, go to: www.healthykidshealthyfuture.org.
Worksite Wellness
Wellness at work is good for business. Southwest District Health is working with worksites interested in wellness to complete the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Worksite Health Scorecard. This is an organizational benchmark assessment which will help worksites identify new opportunities in their current promotion/wellness programs. Southwest District Health will provide feedback based on the results of the Worksite Health Scorecard. These results will guide the worksite in identifying some action items. Southwest District Health will provide resources and technical assistance as able to assist the worksite in completing their action items.
The CDC Worksite Health Scorecard: http://www.cdc.gov/dhdsp/pubs/docs/hsc_manual.pdf
School Wellness
Research shows that healthy students perform better and behave better. Schools have a great responsibility to influence student’s eating and physical activity behaviors for the better. Schools that make efforts to promote good health, will see a return on their investment that will benefit the entire community.
For more information on the connection between healthy living, improved student performance, and school wellness, visit the following links.
Additional Resources
National Resources
- Team Nutrition – Children Nutrition Programs – USDA
- Fruit and Veggies More Matters – helps Americans eat more fruits and vegetables
- Eat Right – Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics
- About BMI for Children and Teens – from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- Ideas to Help Children Maintain a Healthy Weight – from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention
- Fuel up to Play 60 – program founded by the National Dairy Council and the NFL
- Choose my Plate – helps Americans eat a healthy diet
- Physical Activity for Everyone – from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- Get Moving – American Heart Association – easy tips to get active
- Eating Healthy on a Budget– from Choose My Plate
- Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion – from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- President’s Council on Fitness, Sports and Nutrition
- America Walks – working to make America a great place to walk
- Dietary Guidelines for Americans – 2015-2020
- Alliance for a Healthier Generation
Local Resources
- Idaho data on overweight and obesity
- Action for Idaho Kids – promotes healthy schools
- Idaho Walk Bike Alliance – promotes active transportation
- Idaho Department of Agriculture – information on Idaho agriculture
- Idaho Child Nutrition Program – information on child nutrition programs in Idaho
- Safe Routes to School – promotes walking and biking to school
- Visit Idaho – recreation opportunities in Idaho
- Eat Smart Idaho – nutrition classes
- Health Eating Active Living (HEAL) Idaho – network of partners working to improve the health of Idahoans
- IPAN – Idaho Physical Activity& Nutrition program
- Idaho Dairy Council – provides nutrition education materials at no charge
- Biking and Walking in Idaho – Idaho Transportation Department
- Idaho Farmer’s Market
- Idaho Academy of Nutrition & Dietetics
- Idaho Hunger Relief Task Force
- Community Planning Association of Southwest Idaho: COMPASS
- Live Better Idaho
- Edible Idaho