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DHSS Press Release

Dr. Kara Odom Walker, Secretary
Jill Fredel, Director of Communications
302-255-9047, Pager 302-357-7498
Email: jill.fredel@delaware.gov

Date: May 04, 2018
DHSS-05-2018

MEDIA ADVISORY: DPH HOLDS INTERACTIVE HEALTHY EATING AND PHYSCIAL ACTIVITY ASSEMBLIES AT SUSSEX COUNTY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

WHO:Division of Public Health (DPH), Physical Activity Nutrition and Obesity (PANO) Program Kindergarten through fifth-grade students, and physical education teachers at Milton Elementary School in Sussex County.
WHAT:PANO staff will engage Kindergarten through fifth-grade students at Milton Elementary in activities designed to instill a desire for healthier living and give them the tools for eating better and staying on a path of physical health. The six assemblies will teach students the importance of remaining physically active and adhering to a nutritious diet as part of their everyday lives. PANO developed this powerful program as an education companion to the school's Health and Physical Education class lessons and is providing it at no cost. PANO staff will engage students in food trivia, brainstorming and group stretching activities, led by physical education staff. Students will receive incentives for participation such as water bottles, lunchboxes and activity books featuring games and coloring pages to reinforce the lessons of nutrition and physical activity.
WHY: Over the past three decades, childhood obesity rates in America have tripled, and today, nearly one in three children in America are overweight or obese. The numbers are even higher in African American and Hispanic communities, where nearly 40 percent of the children are overweight or obese. The 2014 Nemours Delaware Survey of Children's Health shows that 35.6 percent of Delaware children ages 2 - 17 are considered overweight or obese. Specifically, the report shows that of children ages 6 - 11, more than a third (36.3 percent) are also considered overweight or obese. Additionally, overall, and within the age 6 to 11 category, black children are more likely to be overweight than white children, and both Hispanic and black children are more likely to be obese than other ethnicities. Excess weight can lead to long-term chronic diseases as children continue into their teen years and adulthood.
WHEN:May 7, 2018 from 10:40 a.m. to 3:25 p.m. Session 1- 10:40-11 a.m. - fifth-grade students Session 2- 11:30-11:50 a.m. - Kindergarten students Session 3- 12:20-12:40 p.m. - second-grade students Session 4- 1:25-1:45 p.m. - fourth-grade students Session 5- 2:15-2:35 p.m. - third-grade students Session 6- 3:05-3:25 p.m. - first-grade students
WHERE:Milton Elementary School 512 Federal St. Milton, DE 19968
QUESTIONS:302-744-4704 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: For more information about the PANO Program please visit: http://dhss.delaware.gov/dhss/dph/dpc/panohome.html

A person who is deaf, hard-of-hearing, deaf-blind or speech-disabled can call the DPH phone number above by using TTY services. Dial 7-1-1 or 800-232-5460 to type your conversation to a relay operator, who reads your conversation to a hearing person at DPH. Delaware Health and Social Services is committed to improving the quality of the lives of Delaware's citizens by promoting health and well-being, fostering self-sufficiency, and protecting vulnerable populations. DPH, a division of DHSS, urges Delawareans to make healthier choices with the 5-2-1 Almost None campaign: eat 5 or more fruits and vegetables each day, have no more than 2 hours of recreational screen time each day (includes TV, computer, gaming), get 1 or more hours of physical activity each day, and drink almost no sugary beverages.

Delaware Health and Social Services is committed to improving the quality of the lives of Delaware's citizens by promoting health and well-being, fostering self-sufficiency, and protecting vulnerable populations.

MEDIA ADVISORY: DPH HOLDS INTERACTIVE HEALTHY EATING AND PHYSCIAL ACTIVITY ASSEMBLIES AT SUSSEX COUNTY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

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