The City of Manning is one of five communities being added to the Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH), Healthiest State Initiative, and United Way of Central Iowa’s 5-2-1-0 Healthy Choices Count campaign. Manning, along with Mason City, Clinton, Mounty Ayr, Keosauqua and Warren County, is joining the four communities that participated last fall. The campaign is a nationally recognized childhood obesity prevention program that focuses on the importance of four simple health habits. It stresses the importance of eating five or more servings of fruits and vegetables, two hours or less of screen time, an hour or more of physical activity and zero sugar-sweetened beverages per day. According to Gov. Kim Reynolds, “Research has shown that children who have healthy eating habits, are physically active and spend less time in front of a screen do better in school.” She adds children who follow these recommendations also earn higher reading scores, sleep better at night and are more likely to pursue post-secondary education. Each community participating receives at least $22,000 in grants to help implement the program. For more information about the 5-2-1-0 campaign, follow the link included below.
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