Caleb Aeby is a very different child than he was two years ago. At that time, he seemed hyperactive, and his grades were often in the D range. Now, the 10-year-old’s hyperactivity has transitioned into playfulness, and he made the fourth grade’s merit roll three times out of the four grading periods last year. Caleb’s mother, Evalyn, credits the changes to the diagnosis and treatment of Caleb’s attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and the Active•Fit Youth Wellness Program that is sponsored by Licking Memorial Health Systems (LMHS).

“It is like night and day,” Evalyn said. “His physician at Licking Memorial Pediatrics recognized the ADHD symptoms and prescribed Concerta® for Caleb. Even his teachers can tell the difference if he has not taken his medication for the day. His hyperactivity is very noticeable.”

At approximately the same time that Caleb was diagnosed with ADHD and began treatment for the condition, he brought a flyer home from school that announced the new Active•Fit program at LMHS to improve youths’ activity levels, dietary choices and sleep habits. “I read through the information and thought that this would be a good way for him to burn off some of his excess energy,” Evalyn said. She helped Caleb register online for Active•Fit, joining the inaugural group to set activity and fitness goals, and they began to track his daily physical activities and healthy food choices.

Like most children, Caleb greatly enjoys his play time at home. He values his big-brother role to 6-year-old Cole, and already has taught him the finer points of brotherly wrestling and horseplay. He also spends a lot of time playing with the family’s collection of pets, including a cat and three dogs – a German shepherd/Weimaraner puppy named Glover, a Weimaraner named Janey, and a Welsh corgi named Bella. “Caleb chases Bella all over the yard for hours,” Evalyn chuckled.

Caleb has daily chores. Among other tasks, he feeds and waters the family’s chickens every day. He feels a responsibility to guard the flock, just in case Bella, who is a bird dog by nature, ventures too close to the coop. He also walks the dogs and finds that Glover is already quite a handful. “He is very hyper and pulls very hard on the leash,” Caleb said. “He is strong even though he is just a puppy, and I have to keep pulling him back.”

Somehow, Caleb finds time for two other favorite outdoor activities – bicycling and climbing trees. “I pull myself up on the first branch – it is not too high. My mom does not let me go any higher because she is afraid that I will fall,” he explained.

Caleb and Evalyn were pleased to learn that all these activities that were normal for Caleb would count toward his Active•Fit goals, which included being physically active for at least 60 minutes each day, five days per week. He also fulfilled goals by attending fun Active•Fit events and making healthy dietary changes, such as replacing sugary drinks with water.

Evalyn said, “Caleb has attended many of the Active•Fit events, including the Wii Just Dance Party, the kick-off events in Pataskala with inflatable games, the bowling event at Park Lanes in Heath, and the Health & Fitness Fest at the YMCA. Our younger son just turned six, so he is excited that he can join the program, too.” Caleb agreed that the Active•Fit events are fun, but insists that he cannot name a favorite. “I liked them all the same,” he said.

The award-winning Active•Fit program began in 2012, when LMHS partnered with Newark Advocate Media to develop an innovative way to encourage the community’s families to make positive lifestyle changes to reduce the incidence of childhood obesity. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, approximately 17 percent of children and adolescents in the United States, age 2 through 19, are obese. The extra weight contributes to asthma, bone and joint problems, sleep difficulties, high blood pressure, diabetes and early growth problems. In addition, childhood obesity increases the risk later in life for other serious health concerns, such as heart disease, stroke and cancer.

To join the program, youth are required to register online at www.ActiveFit.com with the assistance of an adult mentor, who can be a parent, teacher, coach, clergy, relative or friend. The participants each select eight goals for a four-month period. Four of the goals are from the “active” category, and the other four goals are within the “fit” category.

Caleb and his parents reviewed the information online, and made his goal selections from a menu of options. He fulfilled one of his fit goals by replacing sweet beverages with water for four weeks. By the time Period 1 concluded at the end of December 2012, Caleb had completed all eight of his goals, and was entered into a drawing along with the other Active•Fit participants who had met their chosen goals.

To Caleb’s delight, his name was drawn in January 2013 to win one of the many prizes – an Xbox 360 with Kinect and fitness software. He continued his Active•Fit participation and stunned his family and friends when his name was drawn to win a second Xbox 360 package in May 2014. “My friends all said, ‘Good job!’, and they put my name on the morning announcements at school,” Caleb bragged.

Evalyn is grateful for the prizes, and even more for the positive turn-around in Caleb’s overall behavior. “It not only means something to know that he is learning the healthy way to live, but it shows him that it pays off in more than one way! He benefits all the way around. This program is so amazing! I am glad LMHS is encouraging kids to make healthy choices at a young age.”

Active•Fit is now beginning its third year, and registration is open for Period 1, which runs from September 1 to December 31. Participants may register for the free program at any time during the four-month period by visiting www.ActiveFit.org. For more information about the program, please call LMHS Public Relations at (220) 564-1572.