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Children's Physical and Emotional Health Promotional Intervention: Sanford Health Fit Initiative

Williams SE, Nachtigall N, Hardie D

The health and well-being of children is a universal priority for families, communities, nations, and even international welfare, development, and success. Physical health is an overwhelming concern, especially related to the escalating epidemic of childhood overweight and obesity. Furthermore, emotional health is an area of immense interest including the relevance of self-control and its role in controlling emotions, influencing interactions with others, and assisting one in becoming a self-directed learner. Children’s health promotional interventions have been developed and implemented; however, the majority either focuses on one health aspect and/or the effects of one health aspect on another. The Fit Initiative originated from a web partnership between Sanford Health and WebMD, and later fully developed by Sanford Health with the purpose of improving children’s health. The objective of this theoretically-based programming has been to incorporate technology, engaging programs, as well as the utilization of key role models and caregivers of children in and throughout a number of settings including homes, schools, daycares, healthcare clinics, and communities to inspire and support healthy lifestyles. The Sanford Health Fit Initiative is focused on the four commonly recognized key elements of healthy living: food, move, mood, and recharge. It assists children and families in cultivating a better understanding of how the key influencers of mood and recharge affect their daily choices and habits, including food and move. Children and families are guided to recognize, appreciate, and apply a more thorough understanding of the interrelatedness of these four elements so that they may experience real and meaningful behavioral change.