Healthy Families is a free, 12-week, family-based program for those with one or more children struggling with overweight and obesity.
Alegent Health along with the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension, Charles Drew Health Center, One World Health Center, Hy-Vee, and the Greater Omaha YMCA are collaborating to make this FREE program possible.
The Healthy Families program was deemed a promising practice for helping families increase awareness and make healthier choices by the University of Nebraska-Omaha School of Human Performance, Exercise, and Recreation. In recent evaluations, children and parents who participated in the program significantly reduced their BMI from pre-test to post-test. Further, children who participated decreased their consumption of full-calorie soda and parents increased their physical activity from pre-test to post-test. The program is most successful for families who participate for the full 12 weeks of the program.
Please consider referring children and their families to the Healthy Families program.
Qualifications:
- Any child or teenager (ages 5-18) who’s BMI is > 85th percentile for age and gender.
- Child must attend classes with at least one adult family member; however, the entire family is encouraged to attend.
Benefits for Families:
- Receive personal attention and expertise of Registered Dietitians and trained Exercise Scientists
- Improve family’s health and quality of life
- Learn how to: eat healthy on a budget, have fun while being physically active as a family and set family goals to make healthy choices together
Families Earn Incentives:
Families earn one month free family YMCA membership for every month they attend class. Also, families get a $50 food gift card during our healthy grocery store tour upon completion of the class.
Class Overview:
Healthy Families program meets weekly for 12 weeks. Participants are encouraged to attend all classes to receive the full benefit of the program.
- Family Play: 45 minutes – families get moving together with some fun games.
- Good Eats: 45 minutes – families sit down together for a nutrition lesson and to share a healthy snack.
How to Sign Up:
- There are four Healthy Families locations to choose from and they occur on different nights of the week.
- Families may sign up by calling Emma Frost-Briley, Healthy Families Program Coordinator, at (402) 690-4063 or via email at emmafb10@gmail.com.
- The clinic may send a list of interested families to emmafb10@gmail.com. Please include the child’s name, the child’s date of birth, guardian’s name and the best phone number to reach them at.
