Have a Healthy Super Bowl Party
If you are having or going to a party for the big game, follow these tips to help ensure it’s safe and healthy.
Eat healthy.
Eat healthy before you go to the party so you won’t be as likely to overindulge. Hosting the party? Although you may choose to have the typical pizza, wings, and chips, add some healthy snacks to the menu.
- Include fresh fruits and vegetables, such as apple halves or carrot sticks.
- Provide fat-free, low-fat, or low-calorie dressings, foods, and beverages.
- Offer foods and beverages low in added sugars, salt, and sodium.
- Serve foods that can be eaten by people with diabetes or on special diets.
Choosing Foods and Beverages for Healthy Meetings, Conferences, and Events 
Limit alcohol.
For some, drinking alcohol is part of the celebration. But drinking alcohol can also place you and others at risk for injury or death. An alcohol-related motor vehicle crash kills someone every 31 minutes and non-fatally injures someone every two minutes. Excessive alcohol consumption is an important factor in more than 100,000 deaths in the United States each year. Alcohol and drug use have also been identified as factors that may increase the risk of sexual violence.
- If you drink alcohol, do so in moderation.
- Have a designated alcohol-free driver.
- Don’t drink and drive. Don't let someone else drink and drive.
Also, if a woman drinks alcohol during pregnancy, her baby can be born with fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS,) a lifelong condition that causes physical and mental disabilities. FAS is 100% preventable if a woman does not drink alcohol while she is pregnant. Mothers are not the only ones who can prevent FAS. The father’s and other family members' roles are also important. They can encourage the mother to not drink alcohol by avoiding social situations that involve drinking and by not drinking alcohol themselves.
Alcohol: Frequently Asked Questions
Get physical activity.
Watching pre-game activities and the game may mean that you are sitting a lot. Include some physical activity during the day. Physical activity doesn't need to be hard to provide some benefit. Adults should get moderate-intensity physical activity at least 30 minutes on most, preferably all, days of the week.
- Have your own half-time show by dancing to your favorite music or tossing the football around.
- Lift hand weights, stretch, or use a stationary bicycle or treadmill while watching television.
- Take a brisk walk.
- Climb up and down the stairs.
Physical Activity Recommendations
Tips for Avoiding Activity-Induced Injuries
Stay warm.
If it’s going to be cold where you are, take steps to stay warm.
- If you are going to be outdoors, dress warmly and wear loose-fitting, layered clothes.
- Outer garments should be tightly woven and water-repellent.
- Drink warm liquids that do not contain caffeine or alcohol. Alcoholic drinks cause your body to lose heat more quickly.
- Keep heat sources at least 3 feet away from furniture and drapes.
Stay safe.
Injuries can easily happen to you or others. Injuries- both unintentional and those caused by acts of violence- are among the top ten killers for Americans of all ages. Injuries can also cause temporary pain and inconvenience. For some, the injury leads to disability, chronic pain, and a profound change in lifestyle. Take precautions to help prevent unwanted contact (physical, emotional, sexual, and more). Parties and tailgating can be fun, but it’s important to pay close attention to things that may cause injury.
- Watch the kids. Never leave children unattended.
- Avoid wearing clothing or costumes that block your vision or restrict your movement.
- Make sure your pets can handle the excitement before placing them in new or strange situations.
- Never use generators, grills, camp stoves, or other gasoline, propane, natural gas, or charcoal-burning devices inside your home, basement, garage, or camper- or even outside near an open window.
- Have a fire extinguisher nearby when cooking or using a grill in case there’s an accidental flare-up.
- Have a first-aid kit in your home and vehicle to handle injuries, like small cuts and bruises.
- Wear seatbelts.
- Wear appropriate protective gear when riding bicycles, motorcycles, skateboards, etc.
Intimate Partner Violence Prevention
Tips for Avoiding Activity-Induced Injuries
Enjoy the game!
This site contains documents in PDF format. You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader
to access the file. If you do not have the Acrobat Reader, you may download a
free copy from the Adobe Web site.
Page last modified: May 27, 2008
Page last reviewed: January 28, 2008