June 24, 2010

Abogar en Su Comunidad

Los pasos básicos para empezar a abogar en su comunidad.

By Ruth Manzano

Como miembro de nuestras comunidades es muy importante ser parte de los cambios para mejorar el ambiente de nuestra familia en las aéreas de nutrición, actividad física, cambios ambientales. Muchas personas quieren abogar, pero no saben dónde empezar, lo más importante es lo siguiente. Aprender que es abogar, como empezar y recordarse de puntos clave para este proceso.

Que es Abogacía:

Pasos Para Empezar:

Pasos muy Importantes en el Proceso de Abogacía:

Learn more at CANFIT En Espanol: http://canfit.org/our_work/espanol/

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November 23, 2009

Change We Can Believe In: Youth!

Youth are not going to accept what is handed to them - and why should they?

By Esmeralda Martin

Obama campaigned with it. Over half of voters believed in it. And yet so many people fear it. Change- it sounds so innovative, inspiring and scary all at once. So why are people so afraid? Human nature suggests that we like what we know and for that reason we sometimes find ourselves in situations where we are comfortable - but no longer challenged. One population that will never be content with the conditions handed to them: YOUTH!

I witnessed this unrest firsthand on a trip to Santa Ana where CANFIT helped to facilitate a recent Youth Summit on November 21, 2009. At the summit, forty young people from Santa Ana came together to share the issues in their community that affected their health. Violence, poor education, litter and limited opportunities for economic development were all community conditions that youth wanted to transform. Not only do they want to transform the situation in Santa Ana - they are taking the appropriate steps to make changes. Latino Health Access’ brilliant Youth in Action team demonstrates leadership in their community by promoting good health. The youth recently used their winning MO Project video as an advocacy tool when presenting their desire for a skate park to District Manager Scott Kutner. Youth are not going to accept the circumstances handed to them-and why should they?

Many people may fear change but youth know that it is essential to our progress. CANFIT is asking youth to tell us what they are doing, or want to be doing to “own their health”. Youth can submit videos spotlighting their work to MO Project 2. Register Today @ http://www.moproject.com!

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October 13, 2009

Not to be Corny, but Keep It Real with Youth!

My kind of town, Chicago is.....

By Lloyd Nadal

I recently visited Chicago this past month (a.k.a. the Windy City, although it wasn’t as windy). The city should really be called “the Beautifully Constructed City” with its array of historic buildings, parks, open space and efficient transportation systems. It intrigued me enough that I decided to do the tourist thing; So I waited in line at the Sears Tower (known as Willis Tower now- horrible, isn’t it?), checked out some Frank Lloyd Wright buildings and then stumbled upon the Museum of Science and Industry.

For those who have never been, the museum is filled with an array of educational exhibits for youth and adults presented in a fun and imaginative way. (For you Bay Area folks, picture the Academy of Sciences and the Exploratorium mixed into one). There was a great display about the effects of climate change, the impact of carbon footprints, the Greenest Home and they even had Harry Potter on IMAX!

Then at around 2pm CST, I came across the farm exhibit. In my mind, I’m thinking a big display about sustainable farming talking about the Farm Bill, clips of the movies Food, Inc.and FRESH playing on a screen, Michael Pollan stuff somewhere and maybe even a Michelle Obama white house garden photo! But instead, I run into this…An Exhibit on Corn Processing.

The display reads, “Corn is everywhere. After corn is harvested on the farm, it travels to the processing plant. Here it goes through many steps and ends up in products that you use every day.” To top it off, I heard a dad say, “Son, this is how they make all your favorite foods like french fries, chips and soda!” YIKES!

So for the foodies, farmers, food justice advocates, policy wonks, public health peeps or simply those recognizing that our food system is broke and needs fixing, the exhibit obviously left out some key components. Nowhere to be found were displays about the farming techniques that led to the extinction of farmers, especially generations of ethnic and native farmers. Nor did it explain the correlation between excess corn production and the cheap, low quality, high sugar foods that are pumped into our market and most notably, to our youth. This exhibit could arguably be called, “Look How We Expand the Nation’s Waistline!” With a quote from Sponge Bob saying, “Hey Kids, See how unhealthy food and drinks are made before being dressed up to taste good, marketed directly towards you and then sent straight to your school lunch and liquor store priced so cheap, you can buy 2!” I shouldn’t be giving anyone any ideas.

Seeing the exhibit was a GLARING reminder that for most of the public (especially youth), unhealthy food is still a part of everyday life. Arun Gupta said it best, “Americans are in the thrall of the food industry. More than half the population eats fast food at least once a week; 92 percent eat fast food every month.” 92 percent!

To reaffirm this, just mention to youth - energy drinks, soda, fast food, flaming hot (orangey you know what’s) and all their slogans, and they will know exactly what you are talking about. They might even ask if you have some! Unfortunately, that’s the reality that many of us have yet to grasp and need to get.

Whether you are someone working in the movement “to support youth so that they WILL outlive their folks” or just a concerned parent, we all need to understand the reality of what youth are facing and learn more about what we are up against… Most importantly, we need to find thoughtful ways to have more youth involved. I feel like we cannot progress until we really “get” youth (in terms of awareness and numbers!) Before saying things like local, sustainable, organic, fair trade, etc (yes, they’re all important), we need to start with simple messages that all youth can identify with. For example - processed, packaged foods (fast food, junk food, soda, energy drinks) harm the body while fruits, veggies, grains, water help the body. It’s not perfect, but that’s a message that we can all support and unite our efforts around.

And we would learn a lot more if there were more forums where youth could discuss the issues, argue/counter argue and formulate their own thoughts, stories and messages that could be expressed through various communication methods (twitter, facebook, texting, spoken word, video, etc.) From these discussions, youth would probably come up with better solutions and mobilization strategies than adults create for them. Check out what youth did in MO Project.

So let’s get real and make this their movement, not ours… which starts by understanding where youth truly are at. Then maybe the next time I’m in the Windy City, I could see a “keeping it real” corn exhibit or a display highlighting all the great work youth are doing across the country to improve the health of their communities. Let’s work with them to find REAL ways to connect it all together.

-Lloyd

Lloyd Nadal is the Program Director at CANFIT. He has worked with low income communities and communities of color across the nation to improve physical activity and nutrition environments for youth.

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August 4, 2009

Preserving Our Food Traditions and Our Health

You don't have to be a food expert to make a difference.

By Misty Avila

Why is it so hard to change the way we eat at home? … maybe because, after all, it’s not just about the food! My morning begins with the familiar smell of my Grandfather’s cologne as he walks past my room before the sun rises. Soon after, the sizzling sound of eggs, potatoes, tortillas, bell peppers, and carne wake me before my eyes shut again. A slight knock on the door and I know I must get up before the food gets cold; His urgency makes me believe that I might actually care if my food is cold. Waiting on the table is my delicious homemade breakfast with “ingredientes frescos” – as my Grandpa says. I cannot help but notice that I may have enough food to feed a family of four, along with my salt and fat intake for the whole day (“The best compliment to a cook is to clear your plate”). My thoughts of “less fat” recommendations get blurred as I enjoy an enchilada omelet with all the fixings. Food is an intricate part of the way my family expresses shelter, love, and care. I accept and want, with gratitude, the unspoken affection received from these meals. How is it possible that I am dreading the stomach ache that may follow?

After examining my morning meal, I concluded two things. First, my family meals nourish my soul. Second, my family meals definitely tend to increase my waistline. Is it possible that deep rooted cultural traditions can continue to nourish the soul without harming the body? My community is a place where low quality, cheap food is bombarding store fronts and shelves of local carnicerias to the big-box grocery outlets. “Eat more for less” messages and products promising cultural pride are integrated into everyday food purchasing choices and incorporated into our homemade recipes. If we as a community can cultivate awareness, then we can preserve our food traditions and our health, without compromising either.

You don’t have to be a food expert to make a difference in the health of your family or community. After all, if homemade food is really a metaphor for care and love, then you can bring something to the table too!

Create Healthy Traditions in your Family

Get involved in the cooking process and share a new recipe.

Eat your vegetables for breakfast!

Nopales con Huevos

En una cacerola se pone aceite a calentar y enseguida se le agrega el jitomate, cebolla y el chile verde a que se sofrian, después se agregan los nopales estilados y por último se le agregan los huevos y la sal, se mueve constantemente para que no se peguen. From platillosmexicanos

For snack ideas, download the CANFIT Healthy Snack Guide
Get more Healthy Youth Recipes by kidshealth.org

Purchase fruit and vegetables at a Farmers Market

Create a family tradition to buy fruits and vegetables at a local farmers market. You can even bring your new recipe and find the ingredients!
Find a Certified Farmer’s Market in California
Great Resource on over 100 Farmer’s Markets in the Bay Area

Become aware of the food marketing in your community.

Is there fast food on every corner in your neighborhood? Do you notice that high fat and high sugar products are cheaper? Train yourself on the marketing tactics.
Download CANFIT’s Are You Getting Played? to sound like a pro.

Make an active conversation about health with your family.

Ask your parents, grandparents, teachers, peers, or guardians their opinion on health. Figure out their views and share some of your knowledge (in teaspoons). Get the skills you need to talk about food and fitness by downloading CANFIT’s MO Project Food and Physical Activity Handout

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July 15, 2009

CANFIT’s 16 Year Journey from California to All Communities

CANFIT Turns 16! Here’s our story…

By Betty Geishirt Cantrell

CANFIT turns 16 in July!

CANFIT began as the result of a class action lawsuit filed by Public Advocates against a major food company for fraudulent, misleading, and deceptive advertising while marketing breakfast cereals to children. The lawsuit resulted in an out-of-court settlement that lead to the creation of the California Adolescent Nutrition and Fitness (CANFit) Program and the hiring of our founding Executive Director, Arnell Hinkle.

In the beginning…

CANFit initially focused on supporting community-based organizations in California that worked with middle school-aged youth of color, 10 to 14 years old. We funded innovative projects related to nutrition and physical activity and provided technical assistance and training so they would succeed. In the process, CANFit developed culturally relevant, simple, and effective resources for youth and the providers that serve them - Recipes for Success Training, a variety of en espanol publications, and the SUPER MANUAL– our all-in-one curriculum that shows how to incorporate nutrition education and physical activity into everyday youth programming.

Next, we created and piloted culturally-specific community campaigns – Adelante con Leche Semi- Descremada, Project REAL, and P.H.A.T. (Promoting Healthy Activities Together). As our community work expanded, so did the number of requests for us to create community-specific trainings and to work outside of California.

From California to all communities…

In 2008, for our 15th birthday, we changed our brand from “California Adolescent Nutrition and Fitness (CANFit) Program” to “CANFIT– Communities, Adolescents, Nutrition, Fitness.” Our new logo and brand reflect that we are more than just a program; our reach has expanded to communities across the country; our resources benefit all adolescents, not just those in middle school; and our focus on nutrition and physical activity encompasses environmental and policy solutions.

In our current work with communities, after school programs, and community-based organizations, we ensure that the right policies and practices are in place to improve healthy eating and physical activity among youth, particularly those in low income communities and communities of color. From grassroots to government, we work with community-based and youth-serving organizations to identify local solutions and support the development of culturally competent policy and practices.

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June 25, 2009

Community Residents are the Key for Community Change

Emilia, a community member from San Diego, gets involved in Advocacy!

By Ruth Manzano

Emilia, a community member from San Diego, gets involved in Advocacy!

Community involvement is just a part of life for Emilia from San Diego California. It is also just a part of her daily chores and activities. She is involved in everything that is related to improving the environment and educational activities of her children and family. It was never like that when she immigrated to this country. She believed that community involvement was out of her reach due to language barriers and cultural issues. Unable to understand the community and educational structure of a new country, she did not know she could get involved. When she was asked to advocate for health issues, Emilia did not even know what advocacy was and believed it was for professionals only. This is a common response that we at CANFIT hear over and over during our advocacy /nutritional 101 trainings. Emilia has now stated that she understands how advocacy can impact change in local communities. She is presently involved because she knows she can make a difference in her community. Emilia stated “We are voices for change”.

Community members take great pride when they see improvements in their communities, but are not familiar using the word advocacy and many times are unable to relate to their community work despite doing the work. During CANFIT trainings, we simplify our teaching methods to insure that we are culturally and community appropriate by using interactive activities, role playing, and visuals to connect advocacy and nutrition/physical activity as a unit. Providing community appropriate Advocacy trainings is vital to improve community after school environments and local sustainability of community changes.Trained participants have mentioned that community ownership and change needs to start with community residents, not with community outsiders. Residents just need basic skills and the tools to go forward. CANFIT Advocacy 101 is modified and revised for each community as needed. We realize that we cannot use a cookie cutter model for each community, as each is unique and has different needs. Revising our training has benefited many in different levels of involvement and participation. Learn more about CANFIT Trainings and Workshops

CANFIT Training with Ruth Manzano

Community involvement in Advocacy and health basically means that communities take responsibility for their own health through:
• Individual empowerment by participating in educational trainings.
• Building capacity to empower communities to take social responsibilities.
• Willing to adopt and change behaviors to prevent health problems.
• Identify, participate, and improve community environments.
• Effective participation in community change activities.
• Taking the lead in local activities.
• Contributing to the design, implementation, and monitoring of community activities.

When community members accept to participate in trainings, this is a great indicator that they are willing to be part of the change. The following are examples of how previously trained participants have been able to use these training skills in the following activities:

• City council meetings
• Enact
• Making phone calls to city officials
• Community presentations

Just remember that trainings need to be provided with community appropriate tools and materials to support community involvement. Empowering by education can lead to change. Community residents are the key for community change!

How are local community residents making changes in your community? What would you like to see change

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June 8, 2009

In a Farmer’s Town, we do not have a Farmer’s Market

Youth make media to advocate for change in their community

April 29, 2009

Hip-Hop and Ya Don’t Stop…

Hip-hop culture used to promote a healthier lifestyle to today's youth

By Lloyd Nadal

Since the early ‘80s, hip-hop music has served as a powerful voice and form of expression for youth. It has evolved into a culture with its own language, style of dress and mindset. It is so rich in history and deep-rooted in cultural upbringing that it has become a necessity when engaging youth, especially those from urban neighborhoods and in communities of color.

But hip-hop today is quite different than it once was. Hip-hop has reached such prominence that like all music, record companies control what is being played on the airwaves and the artistry has been tilted in favor of profitability. The three most commonly used themes in a song, “Babes, Bling, and Booze“ are blasted everywhere. There are also some artists endorsing fast food, sodas and candy bars – all products that have led to the epidemic proportion of obesity and diabetes among youth in this country today.

See a Sample of the PHAT Hip Hop Video used in Training!

Despite this cultural shift, hip-hop’s ability to speak to the needs and values of the youth remain strong.

According to hip-hop pioneer DJ Kool Herc, “The hip-hop generation can take a stand collectively and make a statement. There are a lot of people who are doing something positive, who are doing hip-hop the way it was meant to be done. They are reaching young people, showing them what the world could be - people living together and having fun.”

At CANFIT, we worked with youth and communities to develop P.H.A.T. (Promoting Healthy Activities Together) which embraces music, dance, emceeing and other elements of hip-hop culture to improve the nutrition and physical activity knowledge, attitudes, skills and behaviors of today’s youth. Youth providers can use the P.H.A.T. kit and resource guide to learn more about hip-hop culture and how it can be used to promote nutrition and physical activity to youth in school, after school or in their community. It can also provide some tools and information to initiate a conversation with youth: to remind them that hip-hop is more than songs about sex, drugs, money, violence, what you wear, or how much “bling” you have on.

P.H.A.T. speaks of the true positive nature of hip-hop through the promotion of a healthier and more active lifestyle for youth. P.H.A.T. gets kids moving and the P.H.A.T. DVD includes steps to a hip-hop dance routine that makes exercise fun and enjoyable. Similar to the way break dancing & double-dutch became popular in the 80’s, P.H.A.T. encourages this generation of young people to express their own ways of movement and activity that will help them become less sedentary. P.H.A.T. also provides a creative mechanism to increase awareness and knowledge of important nutrition and physical activity issues that can improve attitudes and behaviors amongst youth, youth providers, parents and community members.

Besides using P.H.A.T., how else can you use hip-hop to promote a healthier lifestyle to youth? Here are 3 easy steps:

STEP 1 – LEARN THE ORIGINS OF HIP-HOP
Although it can be quite difficult to keep up with the latest hip-hop songs, styles and trends, learning about its roots can give good insight about a culture that is accepted by most young people and is constantly evolving. In fact, it may lead you to a greater appreciation for the culture and help counter any negative stereotypes that may have been present earlier. Here are just a few examples of some original hip-hop facts that can begin a discussion with youth:

Origin of the Name Hip-Hop
Afrika Bambaattaa first used the name “hip-hop” in the early 1980’s as the name of a culture. Before that, the word hip-hop was a phrase that MC’s said on the microphone. Bambaattaa is credited as being one of the first ever hip-hop artists. His song, “Planet Rock” is still very well recognized, and one of the first original hip-hop songs ever made.

Dance and Movement
During the Duke Ellington era of the 1920’s, Earl Tucker (aka “Snake Hips") was a regular performer at the famous New York City nightclub, the Cotton Club. His style of dance was so similar to many young hip-hop dancers today that he was credited as being one of the first dance originators. His “waving” floats and backslides were cornerstones for the earliest forms of breakdancing, b-boying, and other hip-hop dances. Various Hip-Hop movements happened alot at block parties (mostly in the Bronx, NY) where competitions would break out in double-dutch (mostly among girls), emcee’ing, DJ’ing and breakdancing.

DJ’ing
In 1973, Clive “DJ Kool Herc” Campbell moved to the Bronx from Jamaica and started what is now known as DJ’ing. He also introduced “toasting” (DJ’s chanting over the music they are playing using simple phrases to get the crowd moving). DJ Kool Herc pioneered the break-beat movement by mixing short percussion breaks with 2 turntables. This allowed “b-boys” to rhyme while keeping the same beat going, similar to how rap competitions are organized today.

First Recorded Hip-Hop Group
The Sugar Hill Gang put out one of the first known recordings of a hip-hop group and was the first to go gold on the record charts. Their song “Rapper’s Delight” is still played today, making it and “Planet Rock” two of the most recognized original hip-hop songs of all time.

STEP 2 – OBSERVE HOW HIP-HOP IS USED IN FAST/JUNK FOOD MARKETING
After learning about some of the origins of hip-hop and its vast influence among youth, it is critical to learn how it’s being used to target kids by the food and beverage industry. With the epidemic rise of childhood obesity and type-2 diabetes, youth providers must be aware of the role of marketing and how influential it is on the eating habits of today’s youth.

Hip-Hop Artists Endorsing Food and Beverage Companies
Today youth, especially those in urban neighborhoods are surrounded and bombarded by advertising and marketing of unhealthy food and beverage products. Youth are targeted from an early age, in a variety of settings and media, including the Internet. According to the Institute of Medicine (IOM), the food industry spends more than $11 billion annually to market products to kids. (That comes out to more than $1 million spent every hour of every day). Food and beverage
marketers use the “cradle-to-grave” approach to target young kids (who influence their parents) and turn them into lifelong consumers.

As hip-hop music has garnered worldwide attention and popularity, its artists have been used to endorse all kinds of products, many unhealthy to our youth. The hip-hop group, Black Eyed Peas starred in a series of online episodes for Snickers candy bar called Instant Def, appearing as a group of hip-hop superheroes. They also endorse Dr. Pepper. The hip-hop artist, Jay-Z endorses several products including Cherry Coke. He even helped design the “new” cherry coke can. There are now a growing number of hip-hop artists endorsing unhealthy foods and beverages in all media outlets. In fact, it is being heavily promoted and targeted directly to the low-income, urban communities of which many of the artist’s grew up. Since these marketing campaigns or endorsement deals can net a hip-hop artist or group a flat fee of $10 million or more, the trend is likely to continue.

It is worthy to note that many of the original hip-hop artists such as Dead Prez, refrain from endorsing such products and have continued to promote positive messages in their lyrics. Also, Nas is one of a few more recent artists who have taken a stand against endorsing products that have a negative effect on urban communities. Hopefully more hip-hop artists can take a stand and realize how important their messages can be in promoting the health of today’s kids.

Should hip-hop artists be conscious of what they are selling or promoting especially if those products may have a negative impact on a child’s health?

The Influence of Fast Food (McDonald’s)
In order to better understand how fast food companies use hip-hop to market to youth, let’s use the largest food chain entity in the world as an example – McDonald’s. McDonald’s is the largest employer of youth in the world with roughly 30,000 high school and college-age students, many of whom are from urban communities. It is no secret that children and youth are their biggest target market, as they use bright colors in their advertising, have a fun mascot Ronald McDonald to promote their food, and even provide playgrounds at their restaurants. Studies have shown that kids respond to the onslaught of junk food ads by eating it more frequently, and in larger quantities. About 17% of kids and teens in the US are now seriously overweight, which can lead to other complications such as diabetes and heart disease.

Although McDonald’s and other fast food chains are trying to improve their menus by offering salads and fruit, the food hasn’t changed and is still packed with calories, high in fat and sugar. A McDonald’s Big Mac, with large fries and a coke is 1,440 calories with 60 grams of fat almost equivalent to an adult’s required daily intake in one meal!

Below is a short timeline of how McDonald’s has used hip-hop to attract youth:
*In September 2003, McDonald’s launched the successful ad campaign, “I’m lovin’ it,” using hip-hop music and images of urban youngsters. McDonald’s hired hip-hop mogul Steve Stoute and his entertainment marketing firm to broker deals with Justin Timberlake and Destiny’s Child to write the jingle and endorse the campaign.
*In March 2005, McDonald’s hired another entertainment marketing firm to help encourage hip-hop artists to integrate the Big Mac sandwich into their upcoming songs. McDonald’s agreed to pay the rappers between $1 and $5 each time their song was played on the radio.
*In July 2005, Stoute was hired to remake McDonald’s uniforms in attempt to create a more youthful, hip image for their employees. The food franchise wanted a uniform that employees would wear outside their work environment. Stoute was eyeing hip-hop fashion brands, Sean John, Phat Farm, Fubu, Rocawear, and Tommy Hilfiger, although he plans to integrate a variety of designers to keep it current and fresh. Stoute stated, “McDonald’s has evolved and become a lifestyle brand. Since it now is relevant to our lifestyle, let’s go one step further and make its employees relevant to our lifestyle as well.”

McDonald’s is not the only fast food chain that uses hip-hop to aggressively target youth. All fast food chains from Burger King to Taco Bell employ similar methods to draw youth into their chains. They use music, jingles and sound effects in commercials and have a whole bag of tricks to lure youth into buying their products. Using hip-hop is just another way to associate their products with a more appealing lifestyle or image.

STEP 3 – UNDERSTAND HIP-HOP TODAY
Understanding today’s youth and attempting to drive home important messages about being healthy involves knowing the culture and the environment they currently live in. Hip-hop has grown so widespread that many geographical areas in the U.S. (and in certain countries) have developed their own recognized music, culture and attitudes. It has become so mainstream now that the suburbs of middle-class America overwhelmingly outweighs (in sales) that in the urban communities from which it originated. It’s this “urban mindset” (lyrics about sex, drugs, violence, city-life, etc.) that represents 100 million consumers worldwide (larger than the baby boomer generation). This mindset, (introduced by hip-hop artists and shaped by the mainstream media) makes impressionable youth believe that being a pimp, player, gangster or baller is the “thing to do.”

Today, it is quite common to see kids emulating this image that many hip-hop artists portray in their music videos and lyrics. These kids also tend to purchase the products that hip-hop artists endorse such as shoes, clothes, jewelry, watches and even unhealthy food and beverages. Although there are many stereotypes connected to this mindset, adults must be respectful of the unique culture, language, and style of dress of today’s hip-hop youth. They should discover ways to use this culture (like P.H.A.T.) that will help kids better understand important messages like eating better and being more active.

Hip-hop culture is so infused into our society that it must be considered in addressing today’s youth. It is their unique voice, expression, movement and for many, their way of life. Why not use hip-hop to motivate youth to stay healthy, eat better, exercise and live a longer life? DJ Kool Herc said, “Hip-Hop ain’t about keeping it real, it’s about keeping it right.” Eating right and being active hopefully included.

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March 23, 2009

Weight is the Least of it

In a culture increasingly plagued by obesity, we’ve been obsessed with thinness.

By Arnell Hinkle

When it comes to youth wellness, we’ve been having the wrong conversation. Granted, healthy eating and exercise are part of the message. But the stated goal is most often weight reduction, and we place responsibility squarely on the individual.Nowhere is this more clear than with adolescents, who may be the most vulnerable to the flood of messages from print, TV and the Internet, to say nothing of peer pressure. And they’re at the stage when lifelong habits are learned.

At CANFIT, we believe in a different conversation. While the mainstream culture stresses thinness or weight loss, we stress health at every size. The mainstream focuses on individual responsibility; we focus on community responsibility. We also focus on cultural specificity and on public investment, not private funding.

Wouldn’t it be better if all adolescents, no matter what their income level or ethnicity, knew what foods they needed to stay healthy, and knew how to use their bodies to keep fit throughout life? Wouldn’t it be better if our communities, regardless of income levels or cultural backgrounds, supported youth in this endeavor?

Too often, after-school and other youth development programs ignore healthy eating and physical activity. When they are addressed, it is often with outdated ideas, or with the youth workers buying into the mass media attitude that thinness is the goal and that participating in competitive, team sports is the norm. Such efforts usually don’t take into account the youths’ cultural and economic realities.

It’s an easy mistake to make. All of us – especially adolescents, who account for almost 40 percent of the family food dollar – are surrounded by mixed messages: “Be sedentary and load up on high-fat, fast and processed foods. But be thin.”

Youth get no alternative messages, at least none that are presented in acceptable or realistic ways, especially for low-income adolescents. Nor are youth involved in developing the right messages themselves.

Most of the youth we work with at CANFIT don’t have access to affordable healthy foods. They don’t have the knowledge and skills to plan, buy and prepare nutritious meals. Nevertheless, they are often responsible for preparing about a dozen meals for themselves and their families each week.

As for physical activity, physical education is being cut back in more and more schools, and the neighborhood streets and parks are often dangerous.

So let’s forget about weight. Let’s focus instead on health – healthy eating and daily physical activity. That may mean changing the foods we offer, making sure that there’s more to do than sports and video games, and interrupting teasing and put-downs that focus on weight.

And let’s not make the mistake of thinking and preaching that this is only an individual responsibility. Sure, individual choice matters. But healthy living requires a community effort that recognizes the need to change the environment. The youth, their families and the community have to be engaged in planning and implementing drives to improve eating and physical activity habits. It is critical that youth and families be part of the creation and ownership of ideas.

Youth programs and local residents must support efforts to get neighborhood corner and convenience stores to stock more fresh produce. They must help to develop physical activity opportunities through such actions as grooming playgrounds, starting walking clubs and creating culturally appropriate classes like hip-hop dance and salsa.

Youth programs must be culturally specific. Every racial or ethnic group has its own approach to food and its own preferences. One size does not fit all.

One of CANFIT’s projects was the Promoting Healthy Activities Together Campaign, aka P.H.A.T. targeting 10- to 14-year-old African-Americans participating in community centers, after-school programs and other organized settings in the San Francisco Bay Area, P.H.A.T. set out to improve knowledge, attitudes, community norms and behaviors about nutrition and physical activity. The model has been adapted and replicated with other cultural groups, including Latino and Asian-Pacific Islander youth.

P.H.A.T. used dance, emceeing and other hip-hop cultural elements to deliver messages about healthy eating and physical activity. Over a two-month period, more than 80 youth spent two to three hours a week with local hip-hop talent, incorporating their own nutrition and fitness messages into raps, artwork and hip-hop dance routines. These were later featured at a P.H.A.T. Community Showcase and in a P.H.A.T. video.

After one year, 67 percent of the programs reported continuing positive changes in youth behavior, including increased water consumption, less soda consumption, improved patterns of physical activity and healthier snack choices. All programs still included hip-hop dance, and many were offering more nutrition programming and healthier snacks.

So don’t focus only on weight. Focus on health, on the specific youths you work with, and on how the community and its organizations can help them.

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