Coming February 21 to your local YMCA will be the Health Intervention Program (HIP) for Families, a program for children eight years and older — as well as their parents and siblings — looking to make a change to a healthier lifestyle in 2006. “With the start of a new year, there’s no better time than now to change old habits,” said Bob McDowell, current Ambler YMCA and former Horsham YMCA executive director, “Do it for the sake of your health, and your kids’ well-being. Your entire family will look and feel better.”

HIP Kids will run Tuesdays and Thursdays for 12 consecutive weeks, between 6:30 and 7:30 PM. In the first meeting, the children (and parents) start off with a “meet-and-greet” where everybody is introduced and made to feel more at home. After that there is an evaluation session — children are given their target heart rate and given a blood pressure screening. Traditionally the hour-long class runs for about 30 minutes of light exercise, followed by about 30 minutes of group/classroom type discussion.

The parent, guardian, or other adult also has to accompany the child and help exchange support with him or her throughout the program. McDowell also believes it is important for the parents and children to work together. “I think the children will be encouraged to do the program because they are made to feel good about themselves and their potential, and also because their parents are doing it right alongside them,” said McDowell. “Ideally, the end result will be that the children — and often the parents too — see a behavior change. They might start to look at themselves and feel healthier, or at least feel like they have the potential to be healthier. Their parents might come home after work and cook them something a little better for them, instead of just stopping by their local drive-thru. That’s what I’m looking for.”

“We try to do this in a setting that is comfortable for them, but at the same time conducive to their wanting to change their habits. We are always looking for a way to make the program the most comfortable — and educational — that it can be,” continued McDowell, “I think it will be a great program. The YMCA has always been in the business of targeting kids — helping kids live the most comfortable lives possible.”

“The kids that we are traditionally targeting are children with bad habits. We are trying to get them to eat more healthy and, in general, stay more healthy. We started out with a concept, and we went around to all of the different area schools and school districts. We were looking for kids who had become sedentary, or maybe just had some bad habits. Often this can be to the point where their health could potentially be a concern,” said McDowell. “With regards to the program, the children are most often referred to it by a physician, parent, or school official. For admission, the children usually have to have on or above an 85 percent body mass index (BMI).”

According to McDowell, “A lot of people don’t know this, but a lot of school districts are planning to start monitoring BMI down the line. When that happens, the kids are going to have questions such as ‘What can I do?’ or ‘Where can I go?’ This program and others like it will definitely help alleviate some of their concerns.”

The initial HIP Kids program runs for 12 weeks and costs $250. The program is reimbursable for up to $200 of that amount by Independence Blue Cross. “We also offer a YMCA scholarship, because we never want a child to be precluded from participating because of money. With the YMCA being a non-profit organization, there is no real financial benefit for us to offer the program. Pretty much all of the funds are getting pumped right back in.” HIP Kids will be available at most area YMCAs, including: Hatboro, Abington, Ambler, Rocky Run in Delaware County, and most Philadelphia YMCAs.

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