Hawaii 5-2-1-0 Offers Tips for Healthy Families

Families are enouraged to eat regular meals to avoid poor health and obesity. Photo provided by HICORE.

By Robin G. Pilus

Hawaii 5-2-1-0 “Let’s Go!” is a new initiative to promote healthy eating and active living for Hawaii’s families in an effort to combat childhood obesity.

The 5-2-1-0 slogan names the healthy living message of eating 5 or more fruits and vegetables, 2 hours or less of screen time, 1 hour or more of physical activity and 0 sugary drinks each day.  The initiative is developing educational materials, programs and web-based activism to promote healthy living behaviors within Hawaii’s families.

Hawaii 5210 is based at the University of Hawaii John A. Burns School of Medicine Department of Pediatrics and is led by HICORE, the Hawaii Initiative for Childhood Obesity Research and Education.

HICORE and the Hawaii 5210 Initiative are developing tools to help pediatric providers gather information about patient lifestyles, counsel kids and their parents on growth and risk for obesity-related chronic disease and educate them about healthy lifestyles using the 5-2-1-0 framework. These materials are available for download and printing or materials can be requested.

Helpful tools are also available for families as  good nutrition and active lifestyles are noted to be key. Helping a family develop healthy habits by making small changes the whole family can do, one step at a time is encouraged by the program.

Some tips for building a healthy ohana include:

• Encourage fun and healthy routines.
• Have regular family meals
• Turn off the television during mealtime and spend time with your family
• Eat breakfast – it really is one of the most important meals of the day
• Try not to nag about eating. Instead, have the kids help you choose and prepare healthy foods and eat them together.
• Have fun together as a family.

For more information visit the Hawaii Initiative  for Childhood Obesity and Education.