Dear Parent or Guardian, Over the next month, your child willbe participating ina fun learning program called Power4Bones. ‘This program teaches students n grade 5 about how to bulld and maintain trong bones and encourages them to take care of thelr bones with bone-building foods and physical activities. PowerBanes was developed because research shows that ‘Alberta kids aen‘t eating well enough, or geting enough physical activity, to keep ‘their bones strong. ‘Learning about good bone-health habits now may reduce kids’ risk of breaks and fractures when they are young and decrease thelr risk of getting osteoporosis (brite bones) when they are older. ‘The program is not just about health. Italso helps students develop and use their Janguage, communication and technology skills. Thope you and your child will benefit from Power4Bones and that you will get the ‘whole family involved in learning about bone-health. Sincerely, Melissa Kujundzictoavoid bone breaks or fractures as well as osteoporosis later in life. Osteoporosis is a disease that causes bones to become brittle ond weak so they break easily People who do not eat bone-building foods or do bone-building activities when ‘they ore younger are more likely to get osteoporosis when they are older. DID YON KNOW? ~ Girl’ bones grow the fostest between the oges of and 4 ond boys bones grow fastest between the ‘ages of 13 and 17 By age 20 the skeleton i almost complete. ~ About 40% of bone moss (which is the weight and thickness of our bones) is built during the early ‘teen years, making tthe most important time in life to eat foods that include bone-building nutrients like calcium ond vitamin D, and to do bone-bullding activities Uke running and jumping, ~ Research done in Alberta showed that many Alberto kids arent eating well enough or getting enough physical activity to keep their bones strong” ~ We need more than just calcium to build strong bones. Our bones also need vitamin D, protein, phosphorus, zinc, vitamin A and magnesium. ~ You ore a role model! Your children lear bone-healthy habits by watching their greatest model in lie YOU! Enjoy bone-building foods infront of your children, and show them that bone-building physical octivties ore easy and fun. ‘cage iA tiny apr tenn sa Act Babee Aart Yt 206 pectin 207A il rm hg /empsntberacoe ksh What YOU can do! 1. Get Moving with Bone-Building Activities ‘Weight bearing actives are the only typeof physical activity thot buds strong bones. Activities that make you push, pull or cory something, or make your body work agcnst gravity, so hot your fet, lags and arms support your body eight ore considered weight bearing octvties. Examples of bone-building physical ectvsien: Hopscotch Willing Jogging running ‘Slapping/jumping rope ‘Climbing store Hiking Gymnastics Recquet sports Soccer Bosketboll Feld hodery Doncing| Volleyball Boseball/softbell Pilliagawogon Comping groceries Pushing asving ‘There ore lots of wos for your foil to get activel Choose the bone building activites that your fry finde the maet fir Kai nd ch han mee the ntvtios tbl wr es2.|nelude Bone-Building Foods in Your Family's Meols and Snacks ‘The easiest woy to get enough calclum and other bone-bliding nutrients st have bone-buiding fods every day, Including mil, cheese end yogurt. Energize your family with theee bone-bullding tips: ‘Add mil or powdered mil to recipes, meals end snacks. Try moking soup, coseroles, muffins, deserts oF oxtmeat with rie nsteod of water + Stockup on snack thet ore excellent or good soures of colium lite white or chocolate mil, yogurt or cheese, + Bonebulding foods toste rect, re fun to et ond easly fit into your fos poced feryle. In ohuy? Think bout fut ‘ond yogurt smoothes, beon and cheese brits yogurt dps for vegetables rf o grilled cheese sandwiches. 1. Get Powerful Bones! Set bone-buildng goals for your fom thot include bone-builing food ond eetivty. Write your fomlysbone-heolth geal inthe space below. PLANT, and then DO T for powerful bone! ‘Stap 1 Decide on ond plon specific bone-healthy goals for your erly. Moke sure you pick bone-heathy foods and ‘ctvites thet your fomily enjoys ‘Stap 2 Decide when your Fly wil strt working on your goo Poet them onthe fridge ond st atime to check _yur progres fem. What working? What sna? Chonge your goals if you need to. ‘Stepts Celebrate your foils successes when you meet your goals EXAMPLE GOAL: Ick nt least one bone-building fond gi specific example) in everyone's lunch every, sokoot day for the ext mont. GOR, 2 (bone-bullding foods): GOAL. 2 [bone-building physical activities: For more information onthe PewertBenee program on nutriton end bone healt, vst the Teochers end rents section of powerdbones.com. pean ar