| A home-based health and fitness program targeting
the overweight and obesity crisis for children
and their families in the 3rd, 4th, and 5th grades.
 The
Crisis
Schools, families, and youth-serving organizations
across the country are grappling with the sky-rocketing
rates of overweight and obesity among children.
The implications for children's futures in terms
of health, wellness, and success are critical.
That's why Switch's groundbreaking design
works directly with families as a behavior change
program, supporting incremental changes at the
family level with the school or other organization
supporting family changes. Switch seeks
to involve the entire community in not only
learning about the effects of overweight and
obesity, but also how to take three steps to
a healthier lifestyle.
Description
Developed by: the National Institute on Media
and the Family.
Research-based:
Research team:
- National Institute on Media and the Family
- Iowa State University
- University of Minnesota
Switch - active lifestyles from MediaWise®,
will engage children and give their families
the tools to change fitness levels and nutritional
choices, and moderate screen time usage among
third through fifth graders. A five-month program,
Switch materials are mailed each month
and used by children and families in their homes
with coordination from the school with minimal
class time. Groundbreaking in its content, Switch
will increase the physical fitness and overall
health of children and their families. Switch
will work in your school or organization by:
- Quickly building awareness.
- Targeting three critical behaviors in
an engaging way.
- Creating behavior change in students.
- Involving families and community stakeholders.
 Benefits
from Switch for Schools and Organizations
A Switch License lets an individual elementary
school, school district, or organization serving
children use Switch communication materials
on a community-wide basis and gives the school,
the district, or the organization the Switch
program kit. Switch becomes the "umbrella"
under which a school community, school district,
or organization link together its health, fitness,
and wellness initiatives, from nutrition in
the school lunchroom to phys-ed in the gym.
A common set of goals enables a school or district
to send a clear message to students and parents
about the steps they need to take:
 Switch
what you Do.™
 Switch
what you View.™
 Switch
what you Chew.™
 Switch
School Program includes:
- Partnership with the National Institute
on Media and the Family
- School kit
- Switch Program Guide
- Day long Switch training
- School materials: banners, posters,
teacher and classroom support materials,
incentives
- Student evaluation options
- Sample set of family materials
For more information on bringing Switch
to your school or organization contact: Randi
Callahan, Switch Project Manager
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