CCAP's Head Start Program Awarded Grant to Address Childhood Obesity

CCAP's Head Start Program has been awarded a $25,000 grant from the Rhode Island Foundation to implement a Healthy Start Program at our Atwood Avenue child care facility.

The overall goal of the program is to promote healthy lifestyles and awareness of healthy eating and physical activity among Head Start children and thier parents.

The Healthy Start program is a 12 unit curriculum centered on the child, their environment, and their family. The Animal Trackers curriculum includes Physical Activity and Motor Skills for children ages 3-5. The Healthy Hops program focuses on Healthy Eating and Healthy Play for children ages 3- 5.

In order to evaluate the program's effectiveness, we will begin in September 2007 and continue through May 2008. Baseline data on children participating in the program will be collected at the beginning and during the year. The data will consist of BMI, serum cholesterol levels, nutritional intake, and physical activity.

The project will be called the Joan Lawton Healthy Start Program. Joan served on the CCAP Board of Directors from 1982 until her death in 2005. As well as serving on the Board of Directors, Joan was a long-term volunteer at CCAP's Head Start Program. She was a tireless volunteer and was much loved by the children. She was known as "Nana Joan" to all the children and staff.

To honor Joan's dedication to the children of Head Start, close friends of Joan, Arthur and Barbara Hirst have generously donated $5,000 in memory of Joan for this project. These funds will be used to purchase indoor exercise equipment for the Joan Lawton Healthy Start Program.

The Need

The American Heart Association estimates that more than 10 percent of U.S. children ages 2 to 5 are overweight. The 2006 Kids Count Fact Book notes that. “Overweight children are susceptible to psychological problems that include negative self- image and low self-esteem associated with social isolation and high-risk behaviors."

"Overweight causes hypertension, heart disease, stroke, asthma, sleep apnea, type II diabetes and orthopedic problems. Among Rhode Island children ages 6-19, 20% were overweight in 2001”.

The obesity epidemic continues to grow in Rhode Island, with a 25 percent obesity rate among children. According to the Rhode Island Department of Health, 60 percent of obese children (aged 5-10 years) already have at least one cardiovascular disease risk factor and are at an added risk for developing type II diabetes, high blood pressure, hypertension, and orthopedic problems. Also, overweight adolescents are more likely to become overweight or obese adults.

With support from The RI Foundation and the Hirst family we will begin the Joan Lawton Healthy Start program in 4 classrooms and later we will expand the program to include all Head Start classrooms.

Want to know more about the Healthy Start Program?

Healthy Start helps to ensure that the roots of a healthy lifestyle are planted firmly when it matters most: early childhood. Initially supported by the National Institute of Health, the comprehensive curriculum was the first preschool health education program substantiated by evidenced based research.