Let’s work together to prevent childhood obesity!

What is Ohio Healthy Program?

Ohio Healthy Program is a voluntary, statewide designation for early care and education programs in the State of Ohio.

  • Up to 15 Ohio approved professional development hours
  • Training for staff on healthy habits, menus, and policies
  • Technical assistance (in-person and remote) on policies, menu changes, family engagement, and submitting the application
  • Includes $500 (or $250 for renewal) in incentives to support physical activity and nutritional programming within the early care and learning setting.

Ohio Healthy Program makes a difference

Accomplishments
between 2015-2019

Serving early care and education
programs in Cuyahoga County

Our Impact

Number of Children Benefiting from Ohio Healthy Program

Overall Policy Change

Since 2015 there have been:

1,227

policy changes, an average of 5.5 policies per site

  • Policies related to nutrition were the most prevalent
  • This includes policies related to healthy menus and beverages

Nutrition Subcategories

3

of these nutrition policy changes are in the subcategory of healthy menus and an average of 1 policy surrounding healthy beverages.

Overall Nutrition

857

nutrition policies changes, an average of 4 per site

Results of Policy Changes = NEW Menu Standards

Adding Healthy Options

Access to whole fruit has increased by 1 serving per week.

Access to non-fried vegetables has been increased by 0.5 serving per week.

Access to whole grains increased by an average of 2.5 servings per week.

Decreasing Unhealthy Options

Access to fried foods have decreased by an average of 1 serving per week.

100% juice servings have decreased by approximately 6 servings per week!

The amount of sweetened cereals, highly processed meats, and sugar dense carbohydrates have decreased to almost 0 servings per week.

Become part of Ohio Healthy Program

Advocate for Ohio Healthy Program! 

Promote the designation through your network of early care and education professionals.

Look for Ohio Healthy Program!

Make Ohio Healthy Program a part of your child care decision. Let your childcare provider know that you support the designation.

Join Ohio Healthy Program!

Be part of Early Ages Healthy Stages and help us in our efforts to integrate Ohio Health Program as part of Ohio’s state standards.

Support Ohio Healthy Program!

Healthy children are better learners. Additional funding can broaden the impact of the program.

Get designated as Ohio Healthy Program!

Receive technical assistance on policies, menu changes, and family engagement support.

 

Download a printable PDF of this infographic.

To learn more information about this program, contact Theresa Henderson at Cuyahoga County Board of Health
Ph: (216) 201-2001 ext. 1552, E: thenderson@ccbh.net

This data brief is a product of collaboration between the Cuyahoga County Board of Health and researchers at the Kent State University College of Public Health. This work was supported in part by a grant from the Mt. Sinai Health Care Foundation. The funders were not involved in the study conception, research design, data collection, analysis, manuscript writing, or in the decision to submit the article for publication. Suggested Citations: A. Patrick, K. Knight and J. Mulvany (June 2020).  Data Brief: Ohio Healthy Program in Cuyahoga County.  Cleveland, Ohio: Cuyahoga County Board of Health.