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P.O. Box 2078 Madison, Wisconsin 53701-2078 www.pplusic.com (608) 282-8900 (800) 545-5015 |
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Press Release Archive December 1, 2008 Give Your Kids an Active Holiday Season and a Vigorous New Year Physicians Plus Releases Annual List of Top Ten Healthy Holiday GiftsThe holiday season brings extra cheer and, to the chagrin of many, extra calories, too. This is no less true for children. And once again this year video games, electric gizmos and gadgets – those ever popular gifts that require no more movement than the twitching of thumbs – will top the most popular toy lists. With childhood obesity on the rise, parents can step in and make sure their kids receive healthy holiday gifts this year. “It’s important to create and maintain an active lifestyle for children year-round,” said Scott Shoemaker, manager of marketing for Physicians Plus, a nationally recognized managed care organization based in Madison. “We looked at current trends and talked with pediatricians to develop our annual list of the Top Ten Healthy Holiday Gifts of 2008.” The 2008 list includes gifts that are fun, affordable and, most importantly, will get kids active. For example, Wii Fit gets kids moving and having fun as they watch their real life movements on screen. And with Backyard Olympics – Boochie! the entire family can get involved in tossing, kicking, bowling and throwing. Many kids need help getting active Most parents don’t want to think of their children as being anything other than happy and healthy, but statistics show many kids could use some help getting active. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the incidence of obesity has jumped sharply in children over the last several decades. Nearly one in five children are overweight, but practicing an active lifestyle is a major factor in weight control. “Childhood is such an important time to establish healthy habits with your kids,” said Physicians Plus vice president and chief medical officer Ron Parton, MD, MPH. “By having children learn about and become engaged in healthy activities at a young age, they can live longer and healthier lives.” In addition to releasing an annual list of active gifts, Physicians Plus demonstrates a year-round commitment to fighting childhood obesity and sedentary lifestyles through its innovative GO! (Get Out) campaign. |