BWW Interviews: MERILEE KERN and Her 'Kids Making Healthy Choices' App

Merilee Kern is a children's health advocate, health industry veteran and two-time fitness champion. She is the creator of the ground-breaking "Kids Making Healthy Choices" APP for children, parents, caregivers and educators. The APP is currently available on iTunes and it is based on her award-winning, illustrated fictional children's book, "Making Healthy Choices - A Story to Inspire Fit, Weight-Wise Kids." We had the opportunity to interview Kern about her career and her projects.

We asked her about her inspiration for promoting fitness and developing her app. Kern commented, "I am inspired by regular folks who are doing their part to foster kids health and fitness in their communities through grassroots efforts. The unsung heroes are school teachers, principals and superintendents, as well as pediatricians, youth group leaders and others at the front line with America's youth, who are thinking out of the box to address childhood obesity in new and innovative ways."

And, her background lends itself perfectly to developing programs for children and their families. She said, "As a life-long fitness enthusiast and a former bodybuilding champion two times over, I have spent all of my adult years devoted to good nutrition, fitness and healthy living - a lifestyle that I now impart on our two children. My extensive experience as a Marketing and Public Relations manager within the health and wellness space has also given me great insights on America's burgeoning epidemic of obesity, both in terms of the gravity of the problem, as well as how to live healthfully. All of that said, however, one need not be a rocket scientist - nor a licensed dietitian or fitness expert - to call attention to those elements of our culture that are having an adverse impact on our children. My APP and book does not offer diet or fitness program advice per se...there is no program children are being instructed to follow. Rather, it utilizes a fictional tale from a child's perspective an in a child's tone that depicts the life of an average overweight American kid as (s)he encounters the emotional and physical challenges associated with an adolescent overweight condition. The intention is to not only help children recognize the overwhelming amount of cultural influences that adversely impact their ability to make good lifestyle choices, but also lessen the emotional burden of self-blame carried by those who have internalized sole responsibility for having become overweight or obese. Releasing this burden and realizing they are under immense pressure and influence will enable these kids to re-focus their emotional and physical energy on making positive, healthful changes in their life."

Kern's app and book is an impressive step towards improving individual life-styles, yet she is modest about her accomplishments. She said, "I am Doing my part" to help impede the childhood obesity epidemic is incredibly rewarding, especially given the ominous statistics: 23.9 million children ages 2 to 19 are overweight or obese; 33.0% of boys and 30.4% of girls. Of these children, 12.7 million are obese 18.6% of boys and 15.0% of girls. (According to the American Heart Association's 2013 Statistical Fact Sheet Update on Overweight & Obesity). The feedback I have received has been priceless, and I cherish being a good role model for my children to make a positive impact on society in some way. My children are very proud of me and that is reward enough.

We asked Kern if she thinks there is a trend for families and children to build healthy habits. She commented, "Unfortunately despite the fact that childhood obesity is getting more attention, in the media and otherwise, than ever, the problem persists. In fact, one USA Today story cited "parents may be in denial when it comes to their kids' weight" as "about half of parents with overweight or obese children don't think their kids are too heavy." This unintended "obesity blindness" is exacerbating the problem. Luckily, resources are also becoming more readily available for kids to help educate them at the front line, including my APP now being availed in one forward-thinking school system (see attached). I hope to have the APP utilized in schools from coast to coast throughout the U.S. as a formal, proactive way to address the problem in our academic health/P.E. curriculums."

Kern is also uses media sources. to spread the word. "My advice and tips-based child nutrition and fitness articles regularly run with newspapers, magazines, blogs and other media outlets all across America."

When asked about her plans for the future, it is clear that Kern is very dedicated to her mission of improving fitness. "Right now I want to get the APP in as many hands (i.e., devices) as possible, with elementary and middle schools my primary point of focus at the moment. I feel very strongly that this APP can spur the kind of dialogue in classrooms that can truly affect change...both with respect to kids' health and also lessening the incidence of bullying toward those kids struggling with weight issues."

You can obtain more information about Merilee Kern, and her fitness app, "Kids Making Healthy Choices" by visiting www.KidsMakingHealthyChoices.com.

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Merilee Kern

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