Hats and Mittens Encourage Healthy Play

By Rachel Ward

Rochester, NY – The Greater Rochester Health Foundation is trying to make winter a little cozier for Rochester kids.

As part of its "Be a Healthy Hero" campaign, the foundation is distributing 13,000 hats and mittens to Rochester children, to encourage them to play outside, even in the cold.

John Urban is the president of the foundation, which donated the winter gear.

"Some of them are going to schools in the city, some of them are going to schools in the suburbs, there are daycare centers that are receiving them, and a variety of other venues where people have come forward to start their own initiative to help kids stay active and eat right."

Urban says getting kids to play outside is just one part of the campaign.

The "healthy hero" campaign uses the message "5-2-1-0" to push kids to eat five fruits and vegetables a day, limit television or computer time to two hours, get one hour of active play, and drink zero sugary beverages.

That campaign has been underway for a year and a half now, and the foundation says so far the message is getting across.

A survey taken by the foundation in January showed that 77 percent of parents had heard the term "healthy hero" and that 79 percent of those respondents knew the 5-2-1-0 message was a recommendation for healthy living.