Below is a listing of the artists and organizations involved in the project:

Rachel Blumberg~Together For Children
Helen Brisson~Healthy Families of the High Desert
Ande Cardwell~Healthy Beginnings
Sean Ferraro~NeighborImpact
Shelley Futch Anderson~Kids@Heart
Linda Gillard~MountainStar Family Relief Nursery
Randy Johnson~Partners in Care–Children’s Bereavement
David Kinker~Bend 2030 Focus Area: “Safe, Healthy People”
Barb Largent~healthmatters
Mary Marquiss~WIC
Jennifer Poncia~Bend Park & Recreation District
Vicki Roadman~Family Resource Center
Nicole Samples~CASA
Vicki Shuck~Children & Families Commission
John Sweet~KIDS Center

“For this program, health improvements were not the primary goal,” says Jens Ludwig, Ph.D., the lead author of the study and a professor of social service administration, law, and public policy at the University of Chicago. “But the fact that we’re seeing effects in the ballpark of what you’d get with very direct, targeted interventions designed for weight loss, for example, [is] pretty striking.”

Greater access to healthy foods, a safer environment more conducive to outdoor exercise, and lower levels of psychological stress could all be contributing to better health in low-poverty areas, according to Ludwig.

To learn more, read the full article on cnn.com.

To learn more read the full article: Latino Childhood Obesity: Seeking Solutions at Home and at School 

The INSPIRE project challenges groups of youth (ages 11 to 18 years of age) to create projects that help community members make positive choices about health and peer relationships. After all granted projects are complete, a celebration will be held in May 2012 to share the efforts and outcomes of the INSPIRE projects.

Assistance is available to help complete project grant application to youth and their planning teams by calling the phone number below.

INSPIRE (Imagine, Navigate, Share, Practice, Influence, Respect and Engage), is supported by the Deschutes County Children & Families Commission, the Central Oregon community and Deschutes County partners. The mission of INSPIRE is youth engagement and empowerment for a healthier community.

For information about how to apply for a grant, for project guidelines and ideas or to donate to the INSPIRE project, please visit www.deschutes.org/INSPIRE or contact Nick Stevenson at (541) 414-4373 (call or text) or send email to Nicholas@deschutes.org.

To celebrate the first National Farm to School Month, schools across the country are inviting farmers and chefs to visit schools during the month of October. Whether you are a food service professional, a farmer, a teacher or a food-loving family, there are plenty of ways to celebrate and get involved. Visit www.farmtoschoolmonth.org to learn more and for ideas about how to celebrate and materials to help you spread the word in your community.

About the authors: Lori S. Brizee is a registered dietitian and certified specialist in pediatric nutrition with over 27 years of experience—including being the mother of two. Prior to moving to Central Oregon she worked at Seattle Children’s Hospital and Regional Medical Center for 20 years. Lori currently works in private practice with patients of all ages. Sue Schumann Warner is an award-winning journalist and author with over 30 years of experience writing for national and international publications.

To learn more:  www.paracletepress.com 

Please visit www.kiwifruitforkids.com to play Kiwifruit for Kids and earn points for Kids@Heart. Choose kiwifruit characters to send to your friends, play games, take a quiz and more. Remember, we recommend no more than two hours of total screen time per day, so play wisely!

The ZESPRI® Kiwifruit for Kids campaign will donate $10k to the organization with the most points by Oct. 21. The second place winner will receive $5k. And all of the nonprofit organizations will receive $1500 from ZESPRI just for playing.

Don’t forget to invite your friends and family to join the fun…

Obese young people have an 80-percent chance of becoming obese adults and are more likely than children of normal weight to become overweight or obese adults. As a result, they are more at risk for associated adult health problems such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, sleep apnea, stroke, several types of cancer and osteoarthritis. The financial implications add up to a sobering $14 billion per year in direct health care costs alone. Americans spend approximately nine percent of their total medical costs on obesity related illnesses. Additionally, there are psychosocial consequences that can hinder academic and social functioning and persist into adulthood.

These severe consequences underscore the critical importance of children and teens to participate in physical activity and to engage in healthy eating habits. Childhood obesity is entirely preventable, and it is up to adults to encourage these healthy habits.

September 2010 was the first National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month, established by presidential and congressional proclamations. “Nothing can be more important than protecting the health and well-being of our children for years to come. With a strong unity of purpose, we can make a difference for our kids,” said Congresswoman Marcia L. Fudge, who co-sponsored the House resolution. “I look forward to parents, health care providers, educators, civic leaders and organizations joining the effort to end childhood obesity.”

“Childhood obesity is a public health crisis,” said Congresswoman Kay Granger, a co-sponsor. “Children need information and guidance to make informed decisions about food and exercise. Childhood Obesity Awareness Month supports the goals of families, schools, and communities who are working to ensure we raise a healthier generation. If we keep our kids healthy now it will alleviate a major burden on our health care system while giving millions of young people the opportunity to live longer, healthier lives.”

Presidential Proclamation — National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month

Kids@Heart encourages our community to learn more and get involved. For a helpful National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month toolkit, visit Healthier Kids, Brighter Futures.

Sincerely,

Kate Wells

Kids@Heart Project Director

Kiwifruit for Kids allows Facebook users to earn online points for the region of their choice (go Northwest Region and Kids@Heart!).  Points are earned by choosing kiwifruit characters, playing games, tweeting about the campaign, having friends from users’ social networks join the competition, and more.  The region with the most points by Oct. 21 wins $10K for their corresponding charity. To the second place region, ZESPRI donates $5k. All of the non-profits receive $1500 from ZESPRI just for playing.

The Kiwifruit for Kids Facebook campaign is designed to help childhood obesity on several levels: to raise money for charities committed to the cause, to raise awareness about the epidemic on a national level, and to popularize healthy diet and lifestyle alternatives for the youth of America (such as eating fruits and vegetables instead of candy and fast food).

Please visit www.kiwifruitforkids.comto play Kiwifruit for Kids and help raise money and awareness for childhood obesity. Remember, we recommend no more than two hours of total screen time per day, so play wisely!