Lincoln Kids are CATCHING On

[February 24, 2017]  LINCOLN - Kids are busy. Between school, sports, dance and music lessons, it can be easy to overlook the importance a healthy diet plays in their daily routines. Facing a concerning childhood obesity rate in Logan County, Abraham Lincoln Memorial Hospital took action. Beginning in fall 2014, steps were taken to implement the nationwide program CATCH into local schools. CATCH stands for a Coordinated Approach to Child Health. The program influences the messaging children receive in physical education, the lunchroom, the classroom and the home to shape their choices when it comes to health. By enabling children to identify healthy foods and increasing the amount of physical activity, the national program has helped decrease childhood obesity by 11 percent in areas where the program is active.

“We chose to support CATCH program to the ALMH service area because we know it’s a

program that works,” said Angela Stoltzenburg, ALMH marketing and community partnerships manager. “But we recognize that while we can provide the classroom curriculum and support, it is the individuals at our local schools who are making real changes and creating healthy environments for the children in our community.”

By 2015, eight area schools were designated CATCH schools, and now during the 2016-17 school year, a total of 13 schools in the ALMH service area have signed onto participate. New physical education equipment and curriculum lessons are provided to CATCH schools. ALMH provides program training and empowers staff to showcase and role model the importance of a healthy lifestyle. ALMH also provides taste testings and facilitates lessons, participates in family nights at the school and has even promote CATCH concessions at local sporting events. And it’s certainly catching on for Lincoln-area students.

A survey showed 100 percent of school staff reported students using CATCH language. More than 90 percent of staff observed students learning about healthier choices regarding nutrition and activity because of the CATCH program. And 100 percent of school staff says they want to continue to “make the healthy choice the easy choice” for students and themselves.

Community trail

The new Abraham Lincoln Memorial Hospital Wellness Trail opened to the community in fall 2016 and offers a .88-mile loop as an extension of the ALMH healing gardens. The trail was gifted to the community by

the Abraham Lincoln Memorial Hospital Foundation in direct response to the ongoing need to incorporate more physical activity into the lifestyle of the community members. It provides a venue for reflection and connection

with nature and a place for employees to recharge. The trail includes three boardwalk bridges and a pergola, a pond and fountain and a vantage point, named the “Healthy Outlook.” Improvements will continue through 2017 to add to the beauty of this community gem.

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