Incentives Take Flight

The obesity rate in Kentucky is the 8^th highest in the nation according to the American Cancer Society leading to several diseases prominent in Boyd County. 

The Boyd County Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Education Assistant (SNAP-Ed Assistant) presented the Organ Annie and the Organ Wise Guys program at a local Head Start class.  Included in each lesson, the Hardy Heart Pump-Up (jumping, running in place, and moving their arms over their heads) was done by the children to encourage them to be physically active during the school day.

At the beginning of the class sessions, the teacher commented that some of the parents do not interact with their child and she would like to come up with a program to increase the involvement of the parents.

Working with the class, reinforcement items of Frisbees were given to the children to play with during recess and to take home to get more physical activity after school.

After a few weeks, the teacher stated that a parent who was not involved with their child previously had been playing more with the child and they had gone to the local park to play Frisbee together.  This has led to an increase not only in physical activity for both the parent and child but also an increase in the parent’s involvement as to bringing the child to school and picking up the child.  The child now seems happier and more outgoing because of the attention of the parent and enjoys the physical activities at school.