Hanover Hospital Offers "Eat Smart. Play Hard." Series for Families

Hanover Hospital's Wellness Connection is proud to offer Eat Smart. Play Hard. ™, a free educational series, featuring Power Panther, a character who helps families with children ages 7-13 learn about healthy eating, physical activity and play, and living and growing at a healthy weight.

Sponsored by the United States Department of Agriculture's Food & Nutrition Service, the series is divided into three sessions. Families may choose to attend one or participate
in all three. All sessions are held from 6-7:30 p.m. at the Hanover Community Health & Education Center, 400 York Street, Hanover:

"Let's Get Cooking" - Thursday, March 16th Presented by: Nadine Wolf, Director, Food & Nutrition Services, Hanover Hospital & Dietetic Intern, Jill Darminio, Marywood University

"Spring Into Action" – Thursday, April 20th Presented by: Lynn Ware, RN, Community Nurse Educator, Hanover Wellness
Connection & Wellness Connection Staff

"You Can Do It" – Thursday, May 18th
Presented by: Lynn Ware, RN, Community Nurse Educator, Hanover Wellness Connection & Wellness Connection Staff

Eat Smart. Play Hard. ™ is designed to help families adopt behaviors that promote nutrition and health, and reduce the risk for obesity and other chronic diseases. Participants will learn how to make family time an active time, how to empower children to make healthy lifestyle choices, and how to balance their day with food and play. The series will offer helpful tips on how to "power up" with breakfast, how to make quick and
easy snacks, and how easy it is to move more and sit less.

Schools are now mandated to measure student BMI (Body Mass Index), and send reports to parents. According to Courtney Paskell, Director of Hanover Hospital's Wellness
Connection/Community Health Initiatives, "If parents receive a letter showing their child is under or overweight, we urge them to talk to their pediatrician, and to learn what they can do to help their child achieve a healthier weight."

"Addressing a child's weight must be a family affair," she emphasized. "Children must be encouraged, empowered, and practice healthy behaviors with their parents."

Pre-registration is required. To register or to learn more about other health education programs provided by Hanover Hospital, please call 717-633-8873.