University of Calgary
Good to be PHAT
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PHAT program leaves teens craving more
Leah Bell, coorinator of the PHAT program, and three members of their school fitness team, Denzel Radford, Brittany Catonio and Liam Smith. / Photo: Ken BendiktsenConvincing teenagers to take care of their bodies can be a challenge. Most feel almost invincible and think heart disease is something that only affects old people, which they can’t imagine being.Leah Bell, coordinator of the Be Fit For Life Centre at the University of Calgary, is determined to get junior high schools thinking about their students’ health by putting the power in the students’ hands and using hip lingo like “phat” to get their attention. The PHAT program is a new initiative, funded by the Alberta Healthy School Community Wellness Fund, which takes place in five junior high schools in Calgary. A major part of the program includes helping each school create a wellness team, made up of students, which will lead healthy school initiatives like deciding what’s sold at their concession stands and cafeteria. The word PHAT was chosen because it is used by some teens to mean cool and hip. Bell has given the word an alternative acronym: Positive, Healthy, Active, Today. “Today’s youth are the hardest group to touch because they don’t understand that what they’re doing today has consequences on their future,” said Bell. “This pilot project will show us how giving students a voice to create change, instead of adults making all the decisions, will help students get active and eat well.” Ashley Jensen, Be Fit For Life outreach coordinator, meets with each student wellness team monthly. She says when it comes to eating well and staying healthy, teens are looking for convenience and to do what is socially acceptable. Jensen finds that suggesting a number of ways to stay fit—taking part in organized sports or intramurals, or simply increasing the amount of steps they take each day—helps teens get motivated. “The best part about being healthy is that each choice you make is a reward in itself because you feel better and have more confidence and energy,” Jensen says. “I am excited to see how ‘phat’ schools can be this year.” The participating schools will compete against each other to see which school gets the most healthy-eating and physical-activity points. Bell is also bringing in nutritionists and setting up fitness tests for teachers. “We really believe that if the role models in the schools are valuing their own health and wellness, then it will trickle down to the students,” Bell says. Be Fit For Life is a network of nine centres across Alberta committed to promoting active lifestyles and physical activity to Albertans. For more information, contact The Be Fit For Life Centre at 403-220-8011 or bfit4lif@ucalgary.ca or visit the Online Registration System.
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November 20,
2009