Welcome to Health in the Balance

Health in the Balance is an online knowledge center for professionals engaged in promoting healthy living and strengthening behavioral health for children and teens.  Here you can:

  • Find articles, tools, and resources to help you understand the issues and take intelligent action.
  • Learn more about 95210 for Health™, an easy-to-remember formula for promoting healthy living for children and teens.
  • Keep up with the latest news in childhood health/behavioral health research, policy, and practice (scroll down or check the right-hand menu).

Health in the Balance is provided as a public service of Community Health Solutions.  To learn more about how we can help your organization or community promote healthy weight for children and teens, contact us at chs@chsresults.com or 804.673.0166.

 

HIB 95210 for health2

 

The 95210 for Health™ Campaign

The 95210 for Health™ Campaign is aimed at helping children, teens, and families adopt five healthy behaviors which promote overall health and healthy weight.

 
9 - Get at least nine hours of sleep per day.

Recent research has linked inadequate sleep with a higher risk for childhood obesity and depression/other behavioral problems.  Adolescents and teens should get at least 8.5 to 9.5 hours per day, and younger children should get more.   Source: National Sleep Foundation at www.sleepfoundation.org.
 
5 - Five servings of fruits and vegetables per day

Eating five fruits and vegetables per day promotes good health and may also reduce eating of less nutritious foods which contribute to unhealthy weight gain. 

2 - Limit screen time to 2 hours or less outside of school

Research links higher volumes of screen time to higher rates of obesity. Time spent in front of a screen is time not spent in physical activity, plus high doses of screen time may decrease metabolism and increase snacking. 

1 - Get at least 1 hour of physical activity per day

Physical activity has many overall health/behavioral health benefits in addition to the calory consumption needed to achieve a healthy weight.  Research shows that most kids don't get enough.

0 - Eliminate sugar-added beverages
 
Natural beverages with natural sugars are fine for most children.  But too many children drink too many sugar-added beverages.  This habit increases intake of 'empty' calories and can cause other health problems.  It is recommended that children drink no or almost no beverages with sugar added.

  The 95210 for Health™  Campaign is aimed at helping children, teens, and families adopt five healthy behaviors which promote overall health and healthy weight. 
  
 

 

Regional Teams Enhance Ability of Primary Care Clinicians Throughout Massachusetts to Serve Children and Adolescents With Mental Health Issues

CHS Distinctive AHRQ Innovations Exchange, Massachusetts Department of Mental Health

 

Summary

With funding from the state government, the Massachusetts Child Psychiatry Access Project uses regional teams of mental health professionals to support pediatric primary care clinicians throughout the state in diagnosing and treating patients with mental health issues. The teams provide telephone consultations during visits and, as needed, follow-up, face-to-face consultations with patients. Based on these interactions, they provide recommendations to the physician on how to manage the patient's mental health issues going forward. If needed, the team assists in securing and coordinating additional specialized mental health services. The program has been broadly accepted by primary care clinicians and enhanced their ability to treat children and adolescents with mental health issues. Future studies will evaluate its cost-effectiveness.

Read the complete Innovation description, at AHRQ Innovations Exchange. here.

 

Is Online Marketing Disguised as Games Making Kids Obese?

A new policy statement by the American Academy of Pediatrics says interactive marketing of junk food online may be contributing to child obesity. TIME's Alice Park shows a few examples of how companies are reaching kids online. (Time, Alice Park, 08/22/2011)

 

 

 

Healthy Communities Conference: exploring the intersection between community development and health

CHS Distinctive  Federal Reserve Bank of San Fransisco, August 2010

The Federal Reserve Board of Governors, Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco, and the Robert Wood Johnson (RWJ) Foundation co-hosted a conference to explore how the health and community development sectors can collaborate to promote better health outcomes for low-income people and communities by addressing issues concerning the social determinants on health.

Free video and transcripts are available from the conference proceedings.  Also available are resources such as:  Overcoming Obstacles to Health (RWJF), Community Development Investment Review,  and Beyond Healthcare: New Directions in Health.

Industry Progress to Market a Healthful Diet to American Children and Adolescents

6a00d83451c7b169e2014e8ae965d3970d The September 2011 American Journal of Preventive Medicine

Since 2005, restaurants, entertainment companies, and food and beverage industry trade groups have made only limited progress to market healthier foods and beverages to children and adolescents. Food and beverage companies have made moderate progress to improve their marketing standards, but no industry sector has made extensive progress compared with comprehensive recommendations issued by the Institute of Medicine (IOM) in 2005.

Read the abstract at the AJPM web site.

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