Services
NFL Community Initiatives – FANtastic Kids Fitness and Nutrition
Program Components
Downloads - Application and Brochure
FANtastic Kids (Fitness and Nutrition) Program is a community based physical activity and nutrition program being offered by Boston Medical Center’s Nutrition and Fitness for Life Program. FANtastic Kids is a clinical intervention for 8 to 12 year old boys and girls who are overweight or at risk for overweight. Participants must meet medical eligibility requirements and be referred by their primary care physician.
Using a youth development model, the FANtastic Kids trains teen peer leaders to implement a 12-week nutrition and physical-activity curriculum for program participants. Program topics include: increasing enjoyable physical activities for youth, encouraging a healthy diet, decreasing sedentary activities and improving media literacy. Additionally, the program fosters the leadership of teens in community efforts to improve the food and fitness environment.
Currently, the program runs at the Dorchester House Multi-Service Center, the Mattapan Community Health Center, the Roxbury Family YMCA , Dorchester Family YMCA and the Oak Square YMCA in Brighton, MA.
The FANtastic Kids program works collaboratively with communities to strengthen their capacity to effectively prevent and treat childhood obesity. This goal is reached through
- Supporting youth in developing healthy eating and physical activity habits
- Providing health education for parents and families and
- Training high school students to be leaders in promoting healthy eating habits and increased physical activity for program participants, peers, family members and community residents
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Program Components
Nutrition Education
- Interactive nutrition activities, which cover topics such as: food groups, hunger and digestion, serving sizes, nutrients, fiber, healthy snack choices, fast food facts and media literacy
- Healthy snack preparation activities and cooking demonstrations
- Regular visits with each participant’s nutritionist
Physical Activity
- Fantastic-organized physical activity led by peer leaders, volunteers and supervised by the fitness coordinator
- Program staff support participants in engaging in physical activities outside of program time
- Upon program completion, each participant is referred to physical-activity opportunities in their community and given a one year membership at the affiliated community center or YMCA
Youth Development and Mentoring
- Fantastic Kids provides peer leaders with continuous leadership and professional-development opportunities throughout the year
- Program staff serve as mentors to peer leaders and program participants and peer leaders serve as role models and mentors to program participants
Family Involvement and Recreational Field Trips
- Parents and families are involved with the Fantastic Kids Program at meet and greets, family dinners, a graduation party, and separate parent-only nutrition education sessions
- Families receive regular “Parent Letters” which inform them of what their child is learning and how to support their child’s nutrition/physical activity goals
- Participants go on non-competitive physical activity trips such as hiking, roller-skating, bowling and scavenger hunts
To register or find out more information about FANtastic Kids, please contact
Julie Rollins at 617.414.6879.
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Downloads
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