PRAB Kicks off Yearlong Healthy Living Campaign for Preschool Families

Preschoolers made a salad, watched a play about healthy choices and bent their little bodies into beginner yoga poses on Friday as part of Family Health and Fitness Day.

The national observance is meant to advocate and educate about healthy food choices and the importance of exercise on health.

Using the day as a launch, the Puerto Rican Action Board (PRAB) will be implementing a year long "School Wellness Initiative" at all seven of its early childhood centers in New Brunswick.

According to Rita Koromi, Director of Early Childhood Programs for PRAB, over 50 percent of children ages 3-5 in New Brunswick are obese, an "extremely high" number.

Through the program, students will be exposed to regular physical activity through their existing programs, and healthy eating choices, both in their daily meals and through games and activities, a slew of which were held on Friday.

Koromi said the initiative focuses on family education, with information on healthy living also to be provided to parents.

Koromi said that there is responsibility on the part of educators to provide this information to children and their families. The earlier they learn it, the better, as habits form more easily, she said.

The program will reach all 642 children in PRAB's early childhood centers - a lot of "little lives" impacted, Koromi said.

For more information on PRAB's Early Childhood Program, visit www.prab.org/programs-services/early-childhood.