Families Create Healthy Lifestyles with the BodyWorks Program
South Central Regional Medical
Center and ALIVE Jones
County announce a new program
for parents and caregivers.
BodyWorks, developed by the U.S.
Department of Health and Human
Services’ Office on Women’s Health,
focuses on helping families create
healthier lifestyles.
According to Rhonda Williamson, R.N., community health liaison for South Central, a large share of families have poor eating habits and do not get the recommended daily amount of physical activity. In developing the BodyWorks program, the Office on Women’s Health found that many adolescents skip breakfast, have non-nutritious lunches, and don’t eat with their families. Children spend about three hours a day watching television, playing video games, using the computer, and talking on the telephone, without parental limitations.
Children desire to have their parents be stronger role models for fitness. They want their parents to set boundaries for unhealthy eating habits and sedentary activities, and to engage the entire family in increasing physical activity. The BodyWorks program focuses on parents as role models and provides them with the tools and support they need to create healthy lifestyles for their children. Parents who enroll in the BodyWorks program will receive a BodyWorks tool kit and will attend regular group meetings to help maintain behavior change. The tool kit serves as a guide to creating an overall healthy lifestyle. It includes:
- A video on healthy shopping and cooking strategies
- A recipe book
- Food and fitness journals
- A weekly meal-planner refrigerator magnet
“It is not about being perfect all the time. It is about trying simple, gradual changes that can make a big difference in the future for our children,” Williamson says. Classes are open to everyone at no cost. The first class began in August and was held at South Central Place.
