Helping kids eat healthy
July 27, 2009
Nutrition guide a resource for parents, caregivers of preschoolers
MAGGIE GRANT
AHS Communications
A new guide from Alberta Health Services is perfect for parents looking for healthy meal and snack ideas for their kids.
Healthy Preschoolers: A Guide to Writing Nutrition and Physical Activity Policies and Procedures is filled with information about how to teach preschoolers about nutrition and physical activity, nutrition recommendations for dental health and instructions on how to read nutrition labels.
The guide is designed to help parents, and those who care for kids in preschools, day homes and day care centres - any place that serves preschool-aged children - develop policies and procedures around healthy eating and physical activity.
"It is an excellent tool to help parents advocate for the development of nutrition and physical activity policies and procedures in the programs that their children are involved in," says Jill Thibodeau, a registered dietitian at the Northwest Health Centre in High Level and one of the guide's authors.
While the guide outlines a process that recommends parental involvement in policy and procedure development, it also contains lots of fun, hands-on information for parents looking to educate their kids about the value of snacking on strawberries instead of candy or drinking fruit juice instead of soda.
The guide is unique because it focuses on how to write and put into practice policies around nutrition and physical activity.
"There's a lot of resources for that age group (preschoolers)," Thibodeau says, "and we didn't want to put another pamphlet on a shelf somewhere.
"This kind of tool will make a real change," Thibodeau adds. "It's great to give people advice about healthy eating and physical activity but if you have a policy, it may help people make actual lifestyle changes. For parents who have children in day homes, day cares and preschools, this would be something they would like to review and bring to the attention of the people who care for their children."
Currently all users of the guide attend a workshop and are given a comprehensive resource kit to help them with methods and tools to implement healthy eating and physical activity policies. The workshops are in power point format and can be sent to anyone who wants it.
Members of the public are welcome to contact Thibodeau at 780-841-3240 or email her at jthibodeau@nlhr.ca for more information and to receive the guide and workshop materials.
"We will work with people to ensure they receive the support necessary to move forward with the policy development process in their organization or community," she says.
