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First 5 County Profiles
Lean Start
The LEAN Start program is a healthy lifestyle education program intended for the parents and caregivers of children 3-5.The program consists of six weekly sessions facilitated by a LEAN Start trained coach.DVD lectures by Dr.William Sears are augmented with LEAN Start materials, including a Caregiver’s Manual, Family Fun Book, and Coach’s Manual. All LEAN Start materials will be available in English and Spanish. LEAN Start is being piloted in Orange County in Fall 2007, and should be available upon completion of the pilot.
Strengths:
- Well-written with a solid nutritional base
- Provides a large amount of information in a fairly creative and sophisticated manner
- Well-formatted with a good balance of text and graphics
- Effective use of concepts such as “Traffic Light” eating and portion control
- Creative and unique
- Involves the whole family in ‘Family Fun’ activities that are adaptable to home, outings & grocery shopping
- Will be available in Spanish, although the Spanish version was not available for review
- No additional equipment is needed
Limitations:
- Less emphasis on physical activity than nutrition
- No suggestions for cultural tailoring or meeting the needs of children with different abilities
- Limited cultural diversity
- Some confusion and inconsistencies around food recommendations – especially with the Traffic Light concept
Implementation:
- Should be led by a person with group facilitation and nutrition and physical activity background
- Easy to implement into a variety of settings if coach has a strong background in nutrition and child development
- Suitable for both center and family child care providers depending upon literacy skills
- The amount of information and the formatting with three different guides and manuals might require some training to help the teacher understand the full scope and use of the curriculum
- Seems most appropriate for a clinical or small parent group setting
- Parents should find Family Fun Book easy to use
- Might need to be extended beyond 6 weeks to be effective
Contact Information:
Orange County Children & Families Commission, Kim Goll (714)834-5310 x203