NSTEP (Nutrition Students Teachers Exercising with Parents)

The critical social issue NSTEP addresses is prevention of chronic disease.
● 1.6 million Canadian children are overweight or obese (31%) 2012-2013 Canada Health Measures Act http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/82-625-x/2014001/article/14105-eng.htm.
● 1 in 5 boys, ages 5-11 are classified as obese.
● It is estimated that if current trends continue by 2040, up to 70% of adults aged 40 years will be either overweight or obese. http://childhoodobesityfoundation.ca/what-is-childhood-obesity/statistics/
Our health care system cannot afford to sustain the cost of associated chronic diseases, nor the decrease in quality of life for these children as they grow into adulthood. Let’s change these statistics so children have healthy habits for life.
NSTEP’s programs address healthy eating and increasing physical activity, through a primary prevention initiative. It is a school based program that has broadened its approach into the community. As a “grassroots” organization we deliver our comprehensive school health intervention directly into classrooms and community based programs. School based elementary program (NSTEP EAT WALK LIVE) and a junior/senior high program (NSTEP Teen Brain), are complemented with community Chef on NSTEP. NSTEP is a “made in Calgary” registered charity and our programs are robust as we have proven the implementation in 13 different school districts, in 3 provinces, reaching over 33,000 children and youth since Jan. 2010..