National Kidney Foundation Launches Online Educational Program for Children
Your Kidneys and Youth Program Promotes Healthy Habits for Good Kidney Health
May 4, 2021, New York, NY — National Kidney Foundation (NKF) launches Your Kidneys and Youth, an online educational program that teaches children in grades 5 to 8 how their kidneys work, ways to keep their kidneys healthy, and basic information about kidney disease. Five kid-friendly educational videos, narrated by Angelica Hale of America’s Got Talent fame, are available at kidney.org/kids as well as a teacher toolkit, suggestions for youth to demonstrate or teach others what they have learned and additional activities for children ages 3 and up. The goal of the program is to help children develop healthy habits early to reduce their risk of developing kidney disease later in life.
“Kidney disease is a public health crisis affecting 37 million people in the U.S., 10,000 of whom are children,” said Kevin Longino, CEO of the National Kidney Foundation and a kidney transplant recipient. “This program will help children form healthy habits at an early age, so they are practicing early prevention efforts without even realizing it and learning how their kidneys actually work in a fun, engaging way. We hope by teaching children healthy habits we will also reach their parents, too.”
Hale, a kidney transplant patient and NKF’s Kid Ambassador, narrated all five educational videos in a fun, upbeat, and interesting way to get kids excited about learning how to take charge of their health. The five educational videos cover the following topics: Lesson 1 – Learn about kidneys, covers what the kidneys are and their functions in the body; Lesson 2 – Healthy eating, covers the importance of eating fresh, unprocessed foods with little to no sodium in the diet; Lesson 3 – Choose water, covers the importance of water as a healthy beverage and the impact of sugar on the body; Lesson 4 – Get Moving, covers the importance of getting at least 60 minutes a day of exercise and the importance of physical activity on the body; and Lesson 5 – Kidney disease, covers how you get the disease, ways to prevent it, and kidney failure treatment options.
“I didn’t understand how important kidneys were to the body and your overall health until mine stopped working when I was four,” said Angelica Hale, 13-year-old singing sensation and NKF’s Kid Ambassador. “Helping kids and families learn early about the importance of kidney health can help kids now and later in life.” Angelica received a kidney transplant at age six from her mother.
This educational program helps teachers instill healthy habits in their students while enhancing their curriculum whether teaching remotely or in-person. Children learn about kidney disease, nutrition and diet, exercise and biology, and why good kidney health matters. And parents will find great, informative materials to add to their home school curriculum. The future looks bright for children who form healthy habits early that will benefit them throughout their entire lifetime.
Learn more about NKF, Your Kidneys and Youth, and kidney disease at kidney.org/kids.