Homeschooling YogaElizabeth Yahn

Nutr - 455

Target Population

Homeschooling Families

Children are of varying ages

Parents have varying reasons for choosing to homeschool

Do not participate in federal nutrition and wellness curriculum

Key Informant:Dr. Lisa Brown RD, PHD

Parents are the key:

Role models and “gatekeepers” to the family meals.

Parents tend to be more participatory with children prior to the middle school years (prior to the “embarrassment factor”).

Key Informant:Larisa Forman

Flexible program catering to different needs of the different parents.

Yoga show meditation is beneficial for kids.

Studio will provide an outlet for kids no matter the weather.

Key Informant:Jennifer Spina, RN

Drop in program of the Boys and Girls Club provides challenges:

Children and parents make no commitments

Communication and evaluation difficulties

Key Informant:Joanna Pan MS, RD

FIT WIC

Uses a program called “Choosy Kids” to teach the families about getting active.

Making movement fun, small amounts every day.

Working Together:Family Exercise

“Youth fitness scores predict adult fitness scores” (Olvera, 2010).

In Iran, a study found that success may have been a result of bonding between mothers and daughters (Kargarfard, et. Al. 2010).

Participatory evaluation of the initial walking group for “low-income mothers of small children” health interventions allowed staff of Salud Si to recognize the need for more than just walking groups in order to entice the women to get physically active despite the many barriers (Ingram, et. Al., 2012).

“Common barriers [described were] ... a lack of motivation, feeling too tired, safety concerns, lack of resources for exercise, and having little or no support to exercise” (ibid).

Family Diets

Families tend to follow three distinct dietary patterns: “traditional,” “processed,” and “health conscious” (Northstone, 2008).

Children, ages 3-5, are directly affected by their parents eating habits (Oliviera, et. Al., 1992).

Greater correlation between mother’s nutrient intake and the children’s (ibid).

MacroNutrient Needs

Benefits of Yoga

Yoga for children focuses on the “cultivation of compassion, non-judgment, connection between breath and postures, and forging the foundations of a life- long practice” (White, 2009).

“Evidence suggests that yoga is associated with improved cardiovascular status, physical functioning, and behavior” (ibid). Yoga has also been found to improve attention and emotional control.

“The postures and breathing may improve the strength and flexibility of muscles while increasing circulation, uptake of oxygen, and functioning of hormones” (ibid).

Survey Results

55% believe their families are active, and that parents and children are at similar activity levels.

Weather was the most commonly reported barrier to activity.

Majority of the respondents were interested in participating with their child:

In Partnership with Karma Yoga Studio

Once a week yoga class for homeschooled children and caregiver will focus on physical movement and provide varying topics on nutrition and yogic philosophy at the end of class.

Yoga curriculum to be set by instructor.

Topics very by week but will incorporate stories and activities to do at home.

Program Goals

Inspire homeschooled families to be physically active despite barriers such as weather.

Provide homeschooled families with opportunity to improve physical and emotional fitness.

Program Objectives

Once a week instruct, a minimum of, five homeschooled families in yoga postures and breathing techniques.

Motivate parents to be physically active with their child, thereby providing a good model of health.

Instruct families on activity and nutritional needs as they grow (in age and number).

References

Olvera, N., Bush, J. A., Sharma, S. V., Knox, B. B., Scherer, R. L., & Butte, N. F. (2010). BOUNCE: A community-based mother-daughter healthy lifestyle intervention for low-income latino families. Obesity (Silver Spring, Md.), 18 Suppl 1, S102-4. doi: 10.1038/oby.2009.439

Kargarfard M; Kelishadi R; Ziaee V; Ardalan G; Halabchi F; Mazaheri R; Poursafa P; Hayatbakhsh, M. (2012). The impact of an after-school physical activity program on health-related fitness of mother/daughter pairs: CASPIAN study. Preventive Medicine, 54(3-4), 219-223.

Ingram M; Piper R; Kunz S; Navarro C; Sander A; Gastelum, S. (2012). Salud sí: a case study for the use of participatory evaluation in creating effective and sustainable community-based health promotion. Family & Community Health, 35(2), 130-138.

Northstone K, and Emmett P. (2008). Are dietary patterns stable throughout early and mid childhood? A birth cohort study. British Journal of Nutrition, 100, pp 1069 1076 doi:10.1017/S0007114508968264

Oliveria SA; Ellison RC; Moore LL; Gillman MW; Garrahie EJ; Singer, M. (1992). Parent-child relationships in nutrient intake: the Framingham Children's Study. The American Journal Of Clinical Nutrition, 56(3), 593-598.

References (cont.)

White, L. S. (2009). Yoga for children. Pediatric Nursing, 35(5), 277.

Pan, J. (2012, Nov. 28). Email interview.

Brown, L. (2012, Oct. 10). Personal interview.

Forman, L. (2012, Oct. 10). Personal interview.

Spina, J. (2012, Oct. 11). Personal interview.

Choosy Kids, LLC. (2008). http://www.choosykids.com/CK2/ Accessed December 1, 2012.