Albertsons promotes children's health in pharmacies

BOISE, Idaho Albertsons pharmacies in Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Louisiana, New Mexico and Texas are launching a new pharmacy program focused on helping children and parents with health information and tips.

The Albertsons Healthy Kidz Club features newsletters to help parents with advice on health topics that can improve the health of the whole family.

Each month, members receive an e-mail newsletter with health tips, recipes and information. The second page of the newsletter is designed for kids, with activities and fun facts that will help them think about health in ways that speak to them.

"A majority of our health habits as adults are derived from what we learn growing up," stated Raymond McCall, Albertsons VP pharmacy operations. "Everything from whether we eat breakfast or not, to what foods we choose to eat throughout the day to what our comfort foods are can generally be traced back to things we learn from our parents. Ideally, we want parents to use the information to start a conversation with the kids in their lives about health that will open a door to wellness within their family."

When parents enroll children in Albertsons Healthy Kidz Club, each child will receive a membership card and an activity sheet, and the first 200 to enroll also will receive a plush Rex, the official Albertsons Healthy Kidz Club mascot, to take home. Albertsons pharmacies will receive copies of the activity sheet each month, so parents can pick up a free copy when they are in the store.

The premiere issue of Albertsons Healthy Kidz Club news covers the complexities of what cholesterol is, and tips about how to make changes in diet and food choices that can help kids and their parents keep their cholesterol at healthy levels. The issue is available at Albertsonsmarket.com/index.php/albertsonshealthykidzclub.

Parents also have a way to reach back to pharmacists with questions about youth-related health issues by e-mailing [email protected].