Author: Barb Flis

Posted September 24th, 2010

On Tuesday, September 28, I’m leading a group at the Fuel Up To Play 60 Kickoff to School Health at Ford Field in Detroit.  The kickoff will highlight the importance of student leadership in creating a healthy school environment where nutrient rich foods and physical activity are top priority.  Approximately 32 schools and 400 students and adults from throughout Michigan will be participating.

It is a really cool event and I’ll be a referee for a school team that consists of 5 middle school students and 5 adults/teachers from their school.

The First Lady is even getting in on the Fuel Up To Play 60 action taking place across the county.  This week, as part of her Let’s Move! initiative to raise a healthier generation of kids, she joined children and NFL players for football drills during a Fuel Up To Play 60 event in New Orleans.

In addition to the in-school wellness program, the NFL’s Fuel Up To Play 60 also hosts Youth Football Camps, flag football, and more. Go to http://www.nflrush.com to learn about events and camps in your area.  If you live in the Detroit area, get on the Summer Youth Football Camp mailing list for next year’s camp schedule.  Email your name, mailing address and phone number to youthfootballcamps@detroitlions.com and Play 60!

Here are excerpts from the official Detroit Lions press release about the Fuel Up To Play 60 program and kickoff event at Ford Field. Get your school involved in the Fuel Up To Play 60 program today!

Click here to view the press release in it’s entirety. 

The Michigan Departments of Education and Community Health; United Dairy Industry of Michigan; and the Detroit Lions are joining forces to support the Fuel Up to Play 60 Kickoff to School Health, which highlights Fuel Up to Play 60, an in-school wellness program launched by the National Football League and National Dairy Council, in collaboration with the United States Department of Agriculture. Fuel Up to Play 60 encourages kids to “fuel up” with nutrient-rich food choices and “to play 60” by getting at least 60 minutes of physical activity every day.

Many children are overweight and undernourished—missing out on important nutrients because they are not making the proper food choices. With these health risks, it’s possible that today’s children could become the first American generation with a shorter life expectancy than their parents. Students at the Kickoff will learn healthy eating and physical activity “plays”— action strategies that will help create healthier school environments.

“Students and staff who attend the Kickoff will learn ways to implement these lessons in their own schools by participating in hands-on activities, which we hope will inspire them to eat right, remain active, and encourage others to do so as well,” said Mike Flanagan, State Superintendent of Public Instruction, Michigan Department of Education, “Youth are empowered to take action at their schools and develop their own road maps to better fitness and nutrition through Fuel Up to Play 60.”

The Kickoff’s pre-game and first half events include a well-balanced breakfast and an interactive session focused on the link between learning and movement, led by author and international speaker Jean Blaydes Madigan. In addition, rookie attendees will learn all about Fuel Up to Play 60 from “MVP Teams”, schools that implemented the program during the 2009-2010 school year.

Attendees will take the field for “training camp” where Detroit Lions’ Defensive End Kyle Vanden Bosch, Former Pro Bowler Luther Elliss, and the Detroit Lions’ trainers will lead students in NFL drills and skills. At halftime, a “Try It, You’ll Like It” tailgate lunch will encourage teams to sample new healthy menu selections, including whole grains, low-fat dairy products, fruits, and vegetables, and vote on items they think the fans in their school would like best.

During the second half, Go Comedy!, a metro-Detroit professional improvisational group, will perform skits on the importance of good nutrition and engaging in at least 60 minutes of physical activity every day, and will lead an interactive workshop to help teams prep for Fuel Up to Play 60 Kickoffs and Challenges in their own schools. The day concludes with Detroit Lions’ Kicker, Jason Hanson, and Elliss sharing tips on how professional athletes eat healthy and play hard for optimal performance.

The Fuel Up to Play 60 Kickoff to School Health is designed to inspire and motivate students to take action for their health by moving more and eating smarter, an overall win for Michigan health. For more information, log on to FuelUpToPlay60.com.

About Fuel Up to Play 60
Fuel Up to Play 60 is an in-school nutrition and physical activity program launched by the National Dairy Council (NDC) and NFL, with additional partnership support from United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). The program encourages youth to consume nutrient-rich foods (low-fat and fat-free dairy, fruits, vegetables and whole grains) and achieve 60 minutes of physical activity every day.

Fuel Up to Play 60 is designed to engage and empower youth to take action for their own health by implementing long-term, positive changes for themselves and their schools. Customizable and non-prescriptive program components are grounded in research with youth, including tools and resources, in-school promotional materials, a website and student challenges. Fuel Up to Play 60 is further supported by several health and nutrition organizations: Action for Healthy Kids, American Academy of Family Physicians, American Academy of Pediatrics, American Dietetic Association, National Hispanic Medical Association, National Medical Association and School Nutrition Association. Visit FuelUpToPlay60.com to learn more. Media resources, including related video footage and photos are available at FuelUptoPlay60MediaResources.com.

About National Dairy Council
National Dairy Council® (NDC) is the nutrition research, education and communications arm of Dairy Management Inc™. On behalf of U.S. dairy farmers, NDC provides science-based nutrition information to, and in collaboration with, a variety of stakeholders committed to fostering a healthier society, including health professionals, educators, school nutrition directors, academia, industry, consumers and media. Established in 1915, NDC is dedicated to educating the public on the health benefits of consuming milk and milk products throughout a person’s lifespan. For more information, visit www.NationalDairyCouncil.org.

About NFL PLAY 60
Designed to help tackle childhood obesity, NFL PLAY 60 brings together the NFL‟s long-standing commitment to health and fitness with partner organizations like the National Dairy Council. NFL PLAY 60 is also implemented locally, as part of the NFL’s in-school, after-school and team-based programs. For more information, visit www.NFLRush.com.

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To support and raise awareness of September now being *Childhood Obesity Awareness Month, I would like to tell you about a parent who signed on to our Call to Action and is really taking action! 

In May I blogged about Rachael Hilliker.  She’s still taking action and is still as bound and determined as ever to change the food that is being served in public schools.

Rachael is hosting various screenings of “Two Angry Moms”, a documentary about food served in public schools and how we can change it through school gardens, nutrition classes, buying local farm foods, etc.  Following each screening Rachael will speak to parents about what parents and community members can do in regards to lobbying for change, grants for school gardens, and the upcoming AmeriCorps FoodCorps which will be placing service members in schools across the country to implement school gardens, farm to school programs and nutrition curriculum’s, as well as legislative lobbying.

If you are interested in attending a viewing, show times and locations are as follows:

Saturday, September 25th, 2010 Lansing.MomsLikeMe.com will be hosting a free screening at 10am at Celebration! Cinemas in Lansing (on Edgewood Blvd).

Saturday, September 25th, 2010 Natural Families of Kalamazoo will be hosting a free screening at 5pm at People’s Church in Kalamazoo.

Sunday, September 26th, 2010 Slow Food Huron Valley and the Ann Arbor District Library will be hosting a free screening at 2pm at the library’s downtown main location in Ann Arbor.

Keep up the “Action”, Rachael!

 

*On March 26, 2010, a resolution was unanimously passed in the Senate to designate September 2010 as “National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month”, bringing national attention to a growing epidemic among youth in the United States.

Posted September 15th, 2010

I am honored and excited to announce that on September 10, 2010 I was elected as the new board president of the Michigan Organization on Adolescent Sexual Health (MOASH).  I look forward to working collaboratively with parents to address the growing number of teen births and the issue of adolescent sexual health. 

Here’s the official announcement and information about MOASH.

Mom appointed President of statewide adolescent sexual health organization

The Board of Directors of the Michigan Organization on Adolescent Sexual Health (MOASH) recently announced the election of Barbara Flis as president.  The aim of the non-governmental state-level 501(c)3 is to provide statewide leadership on evidence-based approaches to adolescent sexual health and pregnancy prevention. Flis, mother of two and founder of Parent Action for Healthy Kids, joined the MOASH board as treasure in 2009.  Flis’ responsibilities will begin in September.  

“We are truly blessed to have Barb Flis as our new president,” said Cheryl Gibson Fountain, MD, FACOG-President Wayne County Medical Society of Southeast Michigan and MOASH Board Member. “Barb is an extremely kind, caring, compassionate person who is well known and respected for her tireless dedication and work on behalf of our children, families and communities in our state.  I look forward to Barb’s leadership as she continues to play a key role in shaping the manner in which we serve the needs of our adolescents.” 

“I am honored to be elected President of MOASH”, said Flis. “Our board represents diverse organizations.  For this board to put at the helm a person representing the parent constituency, speaks volumes about the importance of working collaboratively to address the issue of adolescent sexual health.  For the first time in fourteen years the teen birth rate has increased.  The total cost to Michigan taxpayers with regard to teen childbearing, in Federal and state funds, was conservatively estimated at $302 million for 2004.  These public costs include lost tax revenue, health care, and child welfare costs.  If we want to create a vibrant workforce and brighter future for Michigan’s youth, families, and the economy then we must all take a vested interest.    Together we can empower young people in Michigan to make informed decisions on sexual health, pregnancy prevention and parenthood.”

Flis has more than 15 years of experience advocating for children’s health issues and working collaboratively with parents, schools and community in the arena of health, HIV and sexuality education. She is a nationally recognized expert, keynoting conferences for professionals working in school health, teen pregnancy prevention, and parent engagement arenas. Her work coordinating the Michigan Talk Early & Talk Often℠ program, designed to help parents gain knowledge and skills to talk to their middle school children about abstinence and sexuality, has been cited in national press including Newsweek. Her inspiration for this work comes from her grass-roots experience being “just a parent” in a suburban Detroit community.

MOASH, established in 2009, empowers young people in Michigan to make informed decisions on sexual health, pregnancy prevention and parenthood.  Their Mission is to provide statewide leadership on adolescent sexual health, pregnancy prevention and parenting, through education, advocacy, capacity-building and creative partnerships. For more information send an email to info@moash.org.

 

**This information has been shared with you by Barb Flis, founder of Parent Action for Healthy Kids and president of the Michigan Organization on Adolescent Sexual Health (MOASH).

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Posted September 7th, 2010

Nothing marks the passage of time more than the first day back to school.  Our kids are another year older, and another year closer to growing up and flying out of the nest!  I can feel the anxiety in the air, mixed emotions — excited to go back, and yet dreading to see summers’ end.
 
Remember these words from Fred Rogers Transitions are almost always signs of growth, but they can bring feelings of loss.  To get somewhere new, we may have to leave somewhere else behind.  Give your kids an extra hug and kiss, send them off to school and congratulate yourself for being a great parent!

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Posted September 1st, 2010

Children and teens are seeing fewer television advertisements for fruit drinks, regular soda and sweets such as candy, cookies and pastries, according to a study recently published in the Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine.  However, youths of all ages are exposed to substantially more TV ads for fast-food resaurants. 

What does this all mean? 

Self-regualtion pledges by major food and beverage companies to eliminate uhealthy TV ads targeting children ages 11 and younger must be monitored and assessed.  As the report indicates advertisers, despite self-regulation pledges, are finding alternative ways to build brand loyalty among kids.  Robert Wood Johnson Foundation President and CEO, Risa Lavizzo-Mourey, M.D., M.B.A., said:  “Research shows that marketing has a strong influence on what children consume.  Yet unhealthy foods are still marketed to kids.  Restricting the marketing of uhealthy foods is one of the most powerful and cost-effective ways to change what children consume and reduce childhood obesity.  Studies such as this one will help us evaluate the impact of industry self-regulation.”   

Click here to view a summary of the study.

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An online survey of parents of children in grades K-12 revealed what we (parents), already knew.  Parents nearly unanimously agree that schools should provide more physical activity throughout the day; and schools should limit access to unhealthy snacks and sugar-sweetened beverages. Nearly two-thirds of the parents surveyed believe schools play a major role in instilling healthy habits in students. 

School will start in just a few weeks.  Now is the time for parents to work with the PTA or other parent groups to make sure schools create a healthier environment for our children.  Go to the resource section of my websit www.parentactionforhealthykids.org for help in working with your school.  To get ideas, download a copy of the “Let’s Move” nutrition and physical activity toolkit.

The survey was conducted for the Alliance for a Healthier Generation by KRC Research.  You can read the report on the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation website.

**This information has been shared with you by Barb Flis, mother of two and creator of Parent Action For Healthy Kids.

Posted August 16th, 2010

I am so excited and proud to direct you to the First Lady’s Let’s Move website www.LetsMove.gov where you can benefit from all the great tools just released for parents.  You might recall that last March I was honored to be one of 10 people invited to Washington D.C. to provide input in developing tools for parents for the First Lady’s Let’s Move initiative to end childhood obesity in a generation.  I am so proud to say these great tools are a reflection of what the First Lady’s staff heard from those of us at the table who work with parents and families. 

The links for parents on Let’s Move recognize that parents are busy and benefit most from simple steps that include specific examples of what parents can do to help their families eat healthy and move more.  Whats more, the parent links give you direct, on the spot assistance.  If you are looking for a local playground, just type in your address and you will see a map of your community with all the local playgrounds; the same for nature, outdoor events, forests and parks.  Do you wonder how many fruits and veggies your child needs?  There is a place to type in their age, gender and amount of physical activity and it will give you the exact amount.  These are just a few examples of the support Let’s Move provides to parents. If you are determined or even just a little curious about whether you can help your family eat healthier and move more, then the Let’s Move website is definitely worth exploring. 

I would like to hear how the Let’s Move web site helped you!  Please email me at barb@parentactionforhealthykids.org or send me a message on Facebook.  Include a picture if you like.  I’ll blog about you on my website so that your stories can be shared with others.

Thanks Mrs. Obama for acknowledging the powerful role of parents. 

If you haven’t already, join my Call to Action to raise healthier kids!

Barb

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