The last waning days of summer will quickly give way to the sounds of school bells and the hustle and bustle of activity. Operation Live Well has a winning formula to help make a positive change for the whole family in order to supply everyone with the energy they need to give their best for the opportunity and fresh start of the new school year.
Operation Live Well (https://health.mil/Military-Health-Topics/Operation-Live-Well) is an initiative coordinated by the Defense Healthy Agency to support healthy lifestyle choices. The program works across all aspects of the military community to provide the environment and the tools to help you make those healthy choices.
Why is this important? According to Christine Collymore, a pediatric dietician with the Department of Nutritional Medicine at Brooke Army Medical Center, Fort Sam Houston, Texas, childhood obesity rates are increasing within the United States and in the military community. “The most recent statistics showed a 14% increase in obesity among preschool aged children, age 2-5,” noted Collymore. Rates among adolescents and teens have also increased significantly she said. Making sure children are eating a healthy diet and staying active is important right from the start Collymore advised. “Even if a child is a normal weight and growing well, what a child eats sets the tone for how they will eat as adults,” she explained. “Poor choices related to nutrition and activity levels affects your body systems and can affect school performance. Addressing good nutrition at a young age can reduce future risks for health problems like diabetes, high cholesterol and depression.”
Healthy eating is a family affair noted Collymore. When parents can model good nutrition choices and healthy physical activity, children are going to be more likely to eat better and be more physically active if they see their siblings or parents are doing the same thing she explained.
Within Operation Live Well is a simple formula to help your whole family start a journey to wellness — the 5 2 1 0 Healthy Military Children campaign (https://psu5210.wpengine.com/) – which was developed through a collaboration between the Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Military Community and Family Policy (MC&FP) and the Resource Center for Obesity Prevention within the Clearinghouse for Military Family Readiness at The Pennsylvania State University. The Clearinghouse provides military families and those supporting them with tools to stay strong and mission ready. Here’s how to put the formula to work for your family:
5 – Five Servings of Fruits and Vegetables a Day. Keep storage containers of cut veggies and fruit in the refrigerator so they are always handy for snacking. Engage children at age appropriate levels in the food prep process to encourage health eating. For summer camp or summer job lunch bags, replace chips and candy with fruit, vegetables, and proteins. OLW has healthy snack recipes on its Facebook and Pinterest pages. Collymore also suggested the websites Eatright.org and choosemyplate.gov for recipes, tips on grocery shopping on a budget and interactive tools to teach children about nutrition.
2 – Two Hours or Less of Screen Time a Day. The two hours applies to all electronics, whether phones, television, video games, computers or tablets. Consider reserving the two hours for the hottest times of summer days but preferably look for other activities to fill the time. Is your post library hosting a Summer Reading Program? Does your community offer summer camps or classes? Have supplies on hand for easy craft or art projects.
Blue Star Families (https://bluestarfam.org/) offers some alternative activities through its Summer Reading Challenge and Blue Star Museums program, which offers FREE access to museums, art centers and exhibits across the country.
1 – One Hour of Vigorous Activity a Day. Studies have shown that active kids are happier, healthier, sleep better and are less prone to obesity. And when families play together, it fosters stronger bonds and opportunities for communicating. Getting children out to play in the morning, when it is cooler is smart because kids who are physically active before lunch will eat better and consume more healthy calories. Use the after work evening hours to get the whole family active with pick up ball games in the neighborhood, Frisbee, bike rides or tag. A sprinkler in the back yard or water gun battle can provide just as much fun as a visit to the pool and may even be more aerobic.
0 – Zero Sweetened Beverages as Thirst-Quenchers. Know the best way to stay hydrated on a hot summer day? Drink water, plain old water. You can make water more appealing by letting your children add their own natural flavorings. Slice up various fruits, such as lemons, limes or oranges, for them to drop in their water glasses or float the slices in pitchers in the refrigerator.
You can find more ideas on incorporating 5-2-1-0 into your life by visiting https://5210.psu.edu/toolkits/military/. The Operation Live Well site also features links to tips on fitness, nutrition, and wellness for all members of the family. Another valuable resource for all military families is the Department of the Army’s Performance Triad program, https://p3.amedd.army.mil/.