Healthy Weight in Preschool Children

Mt. Pleasant, MI, 2002

Obesity in preschool age children has reached epidemic proportions in the United States. The incidence of child-onset diabetes—due largely to poor diet—is climbing. The portrayal of body image in our culture gives young people a false idea of what healthy weight looks like, contributing to eating disorders that threaten the lives of adolescents. These examples all affect a child's ability to succeed. Because children's behaviors and life attitudes are formed primarily in their preschool years, it's critical to provide adults who interact with preschoolers, as well as the children themselves, with accurate health information and prevention and intervention strategies focused on healthy weight.

Central Michigan University Public Broadcasting WCMU-TV & Radio and Michigan Community Coordinated Child Care (4C), a nonprofit referral agency that provides professional development for its member caregivers and Head Start professionals, produced programming and implemented outreach efforts to address healthy weight in preschool children.

Other project collaborators included Michigan district health departments; the CMU Educational Materials Center, a creator and national distributor of pre-K-12 educational materials; and the CMU College of Health Professions, which is involved in research on obesity in school-age children and is associated with the Rural Tele-Health Network.

The outcomes for ,Healthy Weight in Preschool Children included 12 television spots for use primarily between PBS Kids programs, numerous half-hour theme-based television programs, radio news reports that aired as local inserts within Morning Edition and All Things Considered, regional professional development events for 4C's 2200+ members and Head Start professionals, a website and materials designed to appeal to parents and caregivers.

Awards:

WCMU Round Four
$65,625 matching grant to reach foodstamp eligible families with healthy lifestyle information
—Michigan Nutrition Network/USDA
Michigan Child Care Champion Award to WCMU
— Michigan Community Coordinated Child Care

WCMU Round Three
$50,625 matching grant to reach foodstamp eligible families with healthy lifestyle information
—Michigan Nutrition Network/USDA