Motivating tweens to make healthy nutrition and exercise choices.
KID POWER, a program of the NKF Serving Kansas & Western Missouri, is an award winning 13 week motivational challenge for tweens (ages 8-13) that is implemented by schools and community organizations.
KID POWER empowers tweens to make good decisions about healthy foods and become more physically active at home and in neighborhoods.
KID POWER seeks to prevent future health issues associated with being overweight or obese. Overweight children are at risk to develop diabetes and high blood pressure, two major causes of kidney disease. Preventing childhood obesity helps prevent kidney disease.
Program Description:
KID POWER partners with community groups like the YMCA and schools to take the KID POWER programming into schools and neighborhoods. For example, one of our partners in Kansas City is the Maternal and Child Health Coalition.
The primary tool for KID POWER is the Challenge Calendar. It consists of easily achievable health, nutrition and physical activities. Tweens must complete four activities on the calendar each week from a list of nutritional “powerizers” (e.g., a day without soda or sport drinks) and physical activity “powerizers” (e.g. dance to your favorite music for twenty minutes.) All youth who complete the program (including pre and post tests and the calendar) receive incentives such as a Frisbee, a step counter, and food and entertainment coupons.
The Healthy Eating & Active Living curriculum has thirteen modules to correspond with the thirteen week KID POWER program. The modules focus on fitness, food, fun, feelings and special family modules that directly involve parents in moving the entire family toward better health. The curriculum was developed by Kidnetic.com, a program of the International Food Information Council Foundation. Kidnetic.com is a healthy eating and active living Web site for tweens and families as they begin the process of behavior change toward healthy lifestyles.
KID POWER offers public awareness campaign materials that include the key messages:
Expected outcomes include:
Measurable improvements in healthier food and physical activity choices.
The intention to make healthier choices in the future in both nutrition and physical activity.
An increase in nutrition knowledge.
KID POWER was created by Kansas City area pediatricians, nutritionists and public health specialists to help families be healthy. It has served more than 7000 youth since its inception in the summer of 2003.
Program Support
The KID POWER Training session is held at the beginning of each Challenge Period (3 per year) for the Site Directors and includes, sessions about medical and psychosocial aspects of childhood obesity, nutrition and physical activity contributors and solutions, information on obesity prevention, how to engage children and their families, and other specific techniques to implement the weekly program. The Site Directors also receive the Pre- and Post Tests, Parent Letters, and Challenge Calendars for the number of participants at their site. They also receive an Instruction Sheet, Program Tracking Sheet, and Satisfaction Survey for their tracking of the program. Once the training is done and the materials are handed out, each site will begin the program as soon as they are able.
The KID POWER Coordinator will make bi-weekly calls to each site to answer any questions they may have and to provide support as needed. The Kid Power Coordinator will also make no less than one personal visit to each site during the Challenge Period to observe the Site Director as the program is being conducted. At that time, the Kid Power Coordinator will provide feedback and check the status of the paperwork including the Pre-Tests and Tracking Forms.
At the end of the Challenge Period, the KID POWER Coordinator will make arrangements with each site to pick up the Pre- and Post-Tests, Tracking Form, and Satisfaction Survey. At this time, the Incentive Packs are given to the Kid Power Participants.
A focus group is scheduled by the Quality Assurance Consultant for the Site Directors following each Challenge Period to solicit feedback on the program and record creative ideas to be include in a Best Practices Guide.
For more information on KID POWER, contact Debbie Ulm, NKF's Division Director of Programs, at (913) 262-1551 x34 or (800) 444-8113 x34.
