A University of Nebraska Medical Center invention originally designed to help adults eat healthier is now being used to promote good eating and exercise habits in children.
Habitwise, (Habitwise.com), formerly known as A-wrist-a-tracs, uses color-coded bracelets based on the USDA food pyramid to track and promote healthy eating habits throughout the day. Once a food is eaten, the corresponding bracelet is moved to the opposite wrist.
The lifestyle behavior modification system was so successful with adults that Habitwise CEO Sara Dreamer has partnered with Live Well Omaha Kids www.livewellomaha.org to explore its effectiveness for children.
The children’s bracelets are based on the program’s 5-4-3-2-1 Go! www.54321go.org campaign, which consists of five fruits and veggies, four glasses of water, three low-fat dairy products, two hours or less of television or computer time and one hour to “move around.”
“The purpose of the kid’s collection is to teach healthy habits in a fun and rewarding way,” Dreamer said. “The positive prompts worn on their wrists empower youngsters to take responsibility for their health and allow the entire family to participate in practicing healthy habits."
The bracelets unite knowledge with action or “do-ledge,” Dreamer said.
The concept came from inventors Kathi Healey, Ph.D., Terry Munsinger, Jill Skrabel and Dottie Norgard who realized that though people may know what is healthy for them, consistently practicing healthy habits is difficult.
"Practical techniques to aid in changing behavior on a daily basis are a key factor in making changes," said Dr. Healey, a nurse practitioner in the neurological sciences department at UNMC. "Studies show that individuals who monitor behaviors are more likely to succeed at modifying them.”
Habitwise for children was recently launched at Trailblazers, a summer camp in Council Bluffs for fatherless children ages four to 16. Since 2000, Trailblazers has provided 350 children with the positive experience of summer camp. This year’s theme is “Total Fitness.”
“Working with children while they are young is the best time to instill lifelong healthy habits,” Dreamer said.
Habitwise has a full line of products for women, men and children in relation to weight management, disease management, water intake and fitness.
Products can be found at specialty retailers, health stores and fitness centers throughout the United States or at Habitwise.com.
UNMC is the only public health science center in the state. Its educational programs are responsible for training more health professionals practicing in Nebraska than any other institution. Through their commitment to education, research, patient care and outreach, UNMC and its hospital partner, The Nebraska Medical Center, have established themselves as one of the country’s leading centers in cancer, transplantation biology, bioterrorism preparedness, neurodegenerative diseases, cardiovascular diseases, genetics, biomedical technology and ophthalmology. UNMC’s research funding from external sources now exceeds $82 million annually and has resulted in the creation of more than 2,600 highly skilled jobs in the state. UNMC’s physician practice group, UNMC Physicians, includes 513 physicians in 50 specialties and subspecialties who practice primarily in The Nebraska Medical Center. For more information, go to UNMC’s Web site at www.unmc.edu.