A Running Start to a Happy Heart

The obesity rate of Canadian children has more than doubled in the last 25 years.

Among children aged 2-11, 37% are overweight and 18%are obese. In New Brunswick the children and youth overweight/obesity rates are significantly higher than the national level. 

Children who are obese are more likely to become obese adults, which places them at increased risk of developing high blood pressure, high blood lipids and diabetes. All of these conditions increase the risk of heart disease, cardiovascular disease and other chronic diseases. Type II diabetes, once known as “adult-onset” diabetes is an increasingly serious problem among children and adolescents. It is closely linked with both obesity and physical activity. 

 The “A running start to a happy heart” daycare nutrition program was developed to help early childhood educators teach healthy eating and physical activity to the children at their daycare facility. The best time to teach good dietary habits is during the early years. The nutritional health of young children begins with the attention paid by parents and caregivers to providing a healthy diet and food experiences, which foster healthy eating habits.  

To download a copy of this program package click on the links below:

• Introductory Letter to Daycare Facility

• Parents Handout

• Poster

• Happy Heart Recipe Cards

• Eating Well with Canada’s Food Guide

• Getting Ready for Mealtime

• Eating Behaviours, Snacks, Refusal to Eat, Food Safety, Purchasing