by

Dave Hardin

Public Information Officer

If I told you about a regular activity for your family that has been proven by research to lower the risk that your children will get involved with drugs and alcohol, improve their performance in school and reduce their chance of becoming overweight, would you be interested in learning more?

That activity is simple. It’s eating meals together as a family.

Catawba County Health Partners is planning to again put a spotlight on the benefits of eating together as a family at the second annual Family Day, from 4:00 until 7:00 p.m. on Monday, September 22, 2008 at the Catawba Valley Community College (CVCC) Multipurpose Facility, which can easily be reached from either the main entrance to CVCC on Highway 70 SE in Hickory or from the Startown Road entrance.

Families are cordially invited to come to the Family Day event on September 22nd to enjoy a free light and healthy meal together, while supplies last. There will also be entertainment, health and community resource displays, a family health walk, sports and nutrition demonstrations, a raffle, giveaways and a lot more.

Family Day was actually created by the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University as a national effort to promote parental engagement as a simple and effective way to reduce youth substance abuse and raise healthier children. The center hopes the event will influence families to make changes in their daily lifestyle and health choices.

Research has shown that families that eat together more often have children:

• who have less risk of drug, alcohol or tobacco use
• who have lower suicide rates
• who are less likely to have sex at a young age or be suspended from school
• who have better school performance
• who have better eating habits and are less likely to be overweight
• who are less likely to develop eating disorders
• who have stronger family bonds and better family communication
• who have an improved vocabulary

Family Day is being co-sponsored by Catawba County Public Health, Jason’s Deli, Catawba Valley Medical Center, Frye Regional Medical Center, Carolina West Wireless and Wallace Printing.

You and your family have a great opportunity to learn more about the benefits of healthy eating and a healthy lifestyle, and begin or renew the habit of eating meals together as a family, on Family Day. I really hope you’ll join us from 4-7 p.m. on September 22nd at the Catawba Valley Community College Multipurpose Facility!

For more information, you may call 828-695-5840 or visit www.catawbacountyhp.org.