By Staff Reports
(Maui)– “The Amazing Food Detective,” an interactive educational performance presented by Kaiser Permanente’s Educational Theater Program (ETP), visited Maui for the first time to deliver performances at Kahului, Kihei, Princess Nahi’ena’ena and Waihee Elementary schools.
The Amazing Food Detective was developed in partnership with Kapolei Performing Arts Center on Oahu to promote healthy living and active living habits through engaging, live performances.
“The Amazing Food Detective is part of Kaiser Permanente Hawaii’s ongoing efforts to address the epidemic of childhood obesity,” said David Ulin, MD, a pediatrician at Kaiser Permanente’s Maui Lani Clinic. “This educational performance builds on our Healthy Eating Active Living (HEAL) approach to prevent obesity and chronic health conditions. HEAL takes childhood health beyond the doctor’s office by surrounding kids with healthy messages and opportunities to make healthier choices.”
The Amazing Food Detective tells a story its audience can relate to, about a young soccer player suddenly too weak and weary to help his team in a big game. The audience is encouraged to help solve the mystery of why the player feels weak and in the course of solving the mystery, The Amazing Food Detective teaches students how to think about what they eat and how they spend their time.
The performance was developed in collaboration with Kaiser Permanente physicians, health educators and community advisory groups to ensure that the content is aligned with best practices in medicine and education, and that it is fun and well-received by audiences. The ETP program’s mission is to inspire audiences to make informed decisions about their health and to build stronger, healthier neighborhoods. Its presentations are delivered to schools and community venues throughout the state. The performances are augmented by study guides for teachers and take-home materials for students.
The ETP is a key component of Kaiser Permanente’s commitment to creating total health through prevention and health education. Last year, Kaiser Permanente Hawaii donated $268,000 to support HEAL-related programs including initiatives to engage keiki in physical activity, childhood obesity prevention and diabetes management programs, farmers markets, and school gardens to Improve nutrition in schools.
More information about Kaiser Permanente’s Educational Theater Program can be found at www.kp.org/etp.