Shape Your Future Offers Oklahoma Families Tools to Reduce Risk of Childhood Obesity
Shape Your Future, a program of the Tobacco Settlement Endowment Trust (TSET), is providing Oklahomans with free information and resources to promote healthy eating habits and physical activity during National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month.
In Oklahoma, 33.6% of 10 to 17-year-old kids are obese or overweight, compared to over 32% nationally. Obesity creates a higher risk for numerous health problems, including diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, bone and joint problems, sleep disorders and 13 types of cancer. Childhood obesity also increases the likelihood a child will experience obesity as an adult.
“More than half of Americans aren’t aware of the many severe health risks associated with being overweight or obese,” said Julie Bisbee, TSET executive director. “As a parent or caregiver, attempting to address these issues can seem overwhelming, but building small healthy habits over time can add up. For example, moving more every day and swapping water for sugar-sweetened beverages are easy changes that can significantly improve overall health.”
Shape Your Future is working to reduce the number of overweight and obese children in Oklahoma by providing accessible and affordable healthy recipe ideas for meals (including school lunches), snacks and even water. The program also offers educational videos on how to get active and move more on any schedule.
Oklahoma parents, teachers and caregivers can make an impact on the health of children by doing the following:
- Being a model for healthy behaviors, including being active, eating a balanced diet and avoiding sugary drinks and tobacco.
- Understanding and aiding lifestyle changes to support healthy weight and good health.
- Encouraging kids to appreciate eating healthy fruits and vegetables and drinking water.
Resources from Shape Your Future to help kids develop healthy habits:
- Find time to pack budget-healthy meals for school lunches.
- Give your kids a role in cooking healthy with fun videos and activity ideas.
- Help your picky eater appreciate healthy foods.
- Make every meal a healthy meal with simple, kid-friendly tips.
- Move more every day with creative-themed adventures designed for the whole family.
- Get active with your kids by trying full-body workouts for the whole family.
For more resources, tips and ideas on living healthy for all Oklahomans, visit ShapeYourFutureOK.com.
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Shape Your Future (SYF) is a community health education intervention that encourages Oklahomans to eat better, move more and be tobacco free. SYF strives to educate parents, teachers, caregivers and all Oklahomans on how to make the healthy choice the easy choice. Find more information online at ShapeYourFutureOK.com.
The Tobacco Settlement Endowment Trust serves as a partner and bridge builder for organizations shaping a healthier future for all Oklahomans. TSET provides leadership at the intersections of health by working with local coalitions and initiatives across the state, cultivating innovative and life-changing research, and working across public and private sectors to develop, support, implement and evaluate creative strategies to take advantage of emerging opportunities to improve the public’s health. TSET – Better Lives Through Better Health. To learn more, go to Oklahoma.gov/TSET