Let’s Go! 5210 and Mayo recognize 14 sites for making the healthy choice the easy choice

DOVER-FOXCROFT — Let’s Go! in partnership with Mayo Regional Hospital is honoring 14 sites in greater Piscataquis County for their positive impact on children’s health. These schools, school cafeterias, out-of-school programs and child care programs, in addition to several of health care practices, have adopted healthy eating and active living practices, influencing the choices children make.

“The program is really expanding. More communities are registering with Let’s Go! and we’re seeing an increase in healthy habits,” said Dr. Victoria Rogers, director of the Let’s Go! program. “We’re proud to report that fruit and vegetable consumption is significantly higher among students at Let’s Go! schools, and 91 percent of the sites we’ve recognized have limited or eliminated sugary drinks.”

Contributed photo
NUTRITION HONOR FOR SEDOMOCHA — The SeDoMoCha School is a Gold honoree in the Let’s Go! and Mayo Regional Hospital partnership for having adopted healthy eating and active living practices to influence the choices children make. Pictured are, from left, SeDoMoCha School Nutrition Director Heather Whitten, Cameron Washburn, Ashton Ade, Cameron Holler, Eliza Stubbs and Principal Adam Gudroe.

Introduced in 2012, the Let’s Go! recognition program identifies and celebrates schools, out-of-school programs, child care programs and health care practices for their role in improving the health of all children. The program focuses on sustainable change. A Bronze award reflects a site implementing the program’s five evidence-based priority strategies. Silver acknowledges a site that has communicated these changes to parents and family members. Gold, the highest level of recognition, is reserved for sites that have written all five priority strategies into policy.

Let’s Go! is also recognizing school cafeterias for their contributions to cultivating good health. “School nutrition programs are committed to creative and innovative strategies to support healthy choices in their school communities. From new menu and recipe development to using behavioral economics in the lunchroom, school nutrition programs are working hard to improve the health of students across Maine, including that of RSU 68, led by School Nutrition Director Heather Whitten”, states Shannon Fowles of Mayo Regional Hospital, Piscataquis Let’s Go! 5210 coordinator.

Gold recipients this year include: It’s a Hoot Daycare of Milo; Little People’s Nursery School and Daycare of Milo; Piscataquis Regional YMCA Pre-K; Piscataquis Regional YMCA After School Program; Ready Set Grow (two sites in Dover-Foxcroft); Milo Elementary; Penquis Valley Schools (middle school and high school programs); and the SeDoMocha Elementary and Middle School School Nutrition Program.

Silver recipients include: Dexter Headstart/Preschool; Dover CDS Preschool; Kitty Kape of Dover-Foxcroft; and Brownville Elementary

Dover Early Headstart is a Bronze recipient.

Child care, school, and out-of-school sites are recognized for three levels of commitment to Let’s Go!’s five priority strategies: 1. Limit unhealthy choices for snacks and celebrations, provide healthy choices. 2. Limit or eliminate sugary beverages, provide water. 3. Prohibit the use of food as a reward. 4. Provide opportunities for children to get physical activity every day. 5. Limit recreational screen time.

Health care sites are recognized for three practice specific, obesity prevention program components: 1. Providing consistent 5-2-1-0 messaging in offices. 2. Calculating BMI for all patients aged 2 and older. 3. Using the 5-2-1-0 Healthy Habits Questionnaire to have a respectful conversation about lifestyles with their patients.

School cafeteria recognition status is determined based on how many Smarter Lunchroom strategies they implemented during the school year. All strategies stem from behavioral economics and range from labeling vegetables with creative names to inviting a local “celebrity” to dine with students.

Let’s Go! is a nationally recognized childhood obesity prevention program that reaches children and families where they live, learn, work and play. Let’s Go! is committed to changing environments and policies at child cares, schools, out-of-school programs, health care practices, workplaces and communities. The program’s multi-setting approach, daily 5-2-1-0 message (five or more fruits and vegetables, two hours or less of screen time, one hour or more of physical activity and zero sugary drinks) and 10 evidence-based strategies are used to effect change across the state of Maine. Strong leadership from The Barbara Bush Children’s Hospital at Maine Medical Center and collaboration across health systems and community health coalitions contribute to the program’s success.