Let’s Go! 5-2-1-0

Let’s Go! is an obesity prevention initiative committed to increasing healthy eating and active living behaviors among children and adults across Maine and beyond to significantly reduce obesity rates.

Let’s Go! 5-2-1-0, developed by the Barbara Bush Children’s Hospital at Maine Medical Center and implemented in partnership with MaineHealth, incorporates evidence-based strategies for preventing obesity, with a focus on the importance of establishing healthy habits beginning in childhood. Let’s Go! was launched in 2006 with a mission to spread the 5-2-1-0 healthy habits message, which originated with the Maine Youth Overweight Collaborative (MYOC), a team of dedicated professionals set out to tackle childhood obesity:

5 — or more servings of fruits and vegetables each day

2 — hours or less of recreational screen time

1 — hour or more of physical activity daily

0 — sugary drinks (more water and low-fat milk)

The Let’s Go! 5-2-1-0 program offers targeted curriculum and guidance for schools, childcare centers, out-of-school programs, healthcare practices and community organizations to change environments where children and families live, learn and play. Programming is centered around the daily 5-2-1-0 message.

Let’s Go! 5-2-1-0 Downeast is a partnership among Healthy Acadia, Maine Health and area hospitals and health centers aimed at improving the health of Maine children and families in Hancock and Washington counties. 

Let’s Go! programming is built around six guiding principles:

  • Reach communities through multiple settings where children and families live, learn, work, and play.

  • Healthy eating and active living is for all children.

  • Focus is on promoting healthy behaviors, and on developing the environments and policies to support them.

  • Strategies are evidence-based or based on the best available evidence.

  • Messages are positive and never stigmatizing.

  • Involvement in and participation with Let’s Go! is always voluntary.

Healthy Acadia administers Let’s Go Downeast in Hancock and Washington counties. Healthy Acadia’s Let’s Go! team brings evidence-based strategies for healthy living into schools, child care and out-of-school programs, health care practices, and workplaces. Through Let’s Go! 5-2-1-0 Downeast, we provide participating sites with toolkits, online resources, training opportunities and technical assistance to successfully supporting increased physical activity and healthy eating for children and adults.

Learn more

If your school, business, or organization is interested in getting involved with the program, please be in touch! Contact Sandy Fortin, Let’s Go! 5210 Program Coordinator, Sandy.Fortin@HealthyAcadia.org.