Published: April 08, 2008 06:37 pm            

BodyWorks focuses on healthier lifestyles for adolescent girls

Submitted by the North Georgia Health District



The North Georgia Health District recently unveiled a new program for parents and caregivers of young adolescent girls. BodyWorks, developed by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office on Women’s Health, focuses on helping girls ages 9 to 13 and their families create healthier lifestyles.

A large share of adolescent girls 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 girls skip breakfast, have non-nutritious lunches and don’t eat dinner with their families. Many girls spend about three hours a day watching television, playing video games, using the computer and talking on the telephone, without parental limitations.

Girls expressed a desire to have their parents be stronger role models for fitness. They wanted 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, therefore, 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 health lifestyle. It includes a video on healthy shopping and cooking strategies, a recipe book, food and fitness journals, a weekly meal planner refrigerator magnet and more.

“I am very excited about being able to bring this program to our community,” said Rhonda Payne, health promotion coordinator for the health district. “BodyWorks can help parents and caregivers learn about healthy eating behaviors and encourages them to become healthy role models for their daughters through forming better eating habits for their families.”

Girl Scouts membership specialist Anita Stewart said the program is a “good fit” for her organization.

“The Girl Scout Program is about empowering girls to give them self-confidence and self- esteem,” Stewart said. “Helping mothers learn ways to establish healthy eating habits for the family and offering this program as a bonding experience for mother and daughters is a great opportunity. Healthy families create a nurturing environment for girls to become strong both physically and intellectually.”

For more information on the BodyWorks program, call Payne at (706) 272-2407.

        

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