Blog by Robin Allen MSPH, RDN , LDN
5-2-1-0 Healthy Messaging, Healthy Military Children was a great webinar, presented on September 22, 2015 by Dr. Jen DiNallo. The first time I had heard about the 5210 Healthy Messaging Program was preparing for this webinar. Now I discover it is being used successfully in many communities, including my hometown of Pensacola, FL.
What did I learn? I have mistakenly been referring to 5210 only in connection with childhood obesity. I was very wrong! 5210 is health promotion program for children and teens! What is the difference? Health promotion is a positive focus and is for everyone. Childhood obesity is negative and eliminates children/teens who may still need to develop other healthy behaviors.
5210 Healthy Military Children was further explored with Dr. Jennifer DiNallo in this interesting audio cast with Dr. Karen Chapman-Novakofski, OneOp Nutrition and Wellness. The Military has fully embraced this program for families, child care facilities, elementary, middle and high schools, youth centers, after-school programs, cafeterias, restaurants, commissaries/grocery stores, fitness centers, workplace, and all healthcare professionals and leaders.
The 2 main goals:
- “Permeate children’s and families’ environments with the 5210 message.
- “Provides strategies to support 5210 behaviors to a variety of people and places.”
How can you implement 5210 in your community? Check out the 5210 HMC website www.5210.healthymilitarychildren.psu.edu. There is a tool kit with step by step instructions to help with the implementation of this great program located at this web site. More information is available at the Clearinghouse for Military Family Readiness http://www.militaryfamilies.psu.edu/ .
5210 might be just right for your community, school, or wherever healthy children, teens and family is a priority.
This post was written by Robin Allen, a member of OneOp (MFLN) Nutrition and Wellness team which aims to support the development of professionals working with military families. Find out more about the OneOp Nutrition and Wellness concentration on our website, on Facebook, on Twitter and on LinkedIn.
