Pictured on left, Annika Sorenstam
Source: Florida Hospital Press Release.
ORLANDO, Fla., June 24, 2010 - Children between the ages of six to 10 took to the lawn in front of Florida Hospital for Children running in an obstacle course with legendary golfer Annika Sorenstam. This unique display was designed to visually show the types of challenges that parents often face when trying to care for the health of their child.
Florida Hospital for Children is launching a comprehensive, first-of-its-kind health initiative called Healthy 100 Kids to help families gain better access to health and wellness experts in one convenient location. Healthy 100 Kids is designed to help kids stay active and provide parents with valuable information, tools and resources about healthy living. The Healthy 100 Kids program is made possible due to the generous donations of community partners including Annika Sorenstam and the ANNIKA Foundation, the Martin Andersen - Gracia Andersen Foundation, the Orlando Magic Youth Foundation and others.
"The goal of Florida Hospital for Children's Healthy 100 Kids program is to create a comprehensive approach to answer a need in our community for better access to health and wellness programs for children," said Marla Silliman, administrator of Florida Hospital for Children. "Florida Hospital has been caring for patients for more than 100 years and we see first hand how many obstacles patients face. Our goal is to eliminate those obstacles and make it as easy as possible for parents to have access to the care they need for their children."
"The ANNIKA Foundation strives to teach children about the importance of healthy living and an active lifestyle," said Annika Sorenstam. "I am so excited to partner with Florida Hospital for Children's Healthy 100 Kids program because together, I think we can help kids' live healthier lives. It is our vision that steps we take against the largest pandemic facing America's youth will one day be best practices implemented nationwide."
The Healthy 100 Kids program is about more than just losing weight; it is about giving parents and children the tools they need to change their lifestyle. The Healthy 100 Kids team consists of four health professional who specialize in pediatrics and weight management, nutrition, exercise and psychology. The medical director of Healthy 100 Kids, Dr. Angela Fals, is one of a handful of pediatricians in the country who specializes in pediatric weight management, or bariatric medicine. The other experts on the Healthy 100 Kids team include Dr. Celine Passeri, a child clinical psychologist, Lindy Moore, an exercise physiologist, and Tamara Sims-Dorway, a registered dietician. Together, this team will provide a comprehensive approach to care for children and their families dealing with unhealthy lifestyles, overweight challenges and associated medical complications. Additionally, the Healthy 100 Kids program has partnered with the Florida Hospital - Sanford Burnham Translational Research Institute for Metabolism and Diabetes to research the causes of childhood obesity. This strong research partner will help the program by conducting research to help us better understand the causes of childhood obesity.
The Healthy 100 Kids' physicians, clinicians and medical staff will tailor a program with the goal of giving children and families the best chance of living to a healthy 100. The interconnectivity between nutrition, fitness, relaxation, relationships and body image will lay the foundation for new household habits. While there may be short-term incremental goals, the program offers all participants long-term support and encouragement through a variety of means because "staying healthy" is a lifetime commitment.
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