Ways to help Kids Get Fit!
According to the Centers for Disease Control, obesity among children has nearly doubled in the last decade. Alarmingly, more than 9 million children in the United States are either obese or overweight, and studies show today's children are not getting the necessary exercise and activity for effective weight management and good health.
About Kids Get Fit!
United Way is dedicated to reversing this frightening trend. We're creating programs that provide resources to parents and help kids make positive nutritional and behavioral choices. And we're making progress -- with on-the-ground, outcome-focused programs such as HOP Sports and Hometown Huddle.
United Way has a 10-year goal to increase the number of youth who are healthy and avoiding risky behaviors byone-third. To that end, United Way is investing in the health of our nation's youth with programs like HOPSports, an in-school and after-school kids' fitness program designed to provide new opportunities for kids to become more active and learn about proper health and nutrition.
Join Kids Get FIt!
Join the movement for a healthier generation of kids, learn what you can do with your kids to get and keep them healthy and chat with other parents to share tips and support!
Working together we can get results
Programs such as HOPSports are getting results-- kids are 55% more active during HOPSports classes versus traditional physical education classes, and overweight and obese students were 23% more active during classes with HOPSports than healthy-weight students were during traditional physical education classes.
In a study by three North Carolina universities in conjunction with award-winning not-for-profit Be Active North Carolina, an econometric analysis revealed that an average community could expect to see a ROI of 38%. For every dollar spent on HOPSports, the community can expect at least a $1.38 savings in health care costs related to obesity, inactivity and type 2 diabetes.
When you support Kids Get Fit, you're doing more than just helping to provide exercise equipment and instructional videos to schools around the country. You can help to make a true difference in the lives of at-risk children and reverse the growing epidemic of childhood obesity.
Join us. Fight childhood obesity and Get Kids Fit!
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10 Things Parents Can Do to Help Kids Get Fit and Healthy
As parents, we have a responsibility to teach our kids about the benefits of adopting a healthy, active lifestyle at an early age. With a few simple changes, you can become your child's greatest advocate and example - promoting eating, exercise and lifestyle strategies that the entire family can embrace.
FITNESS TIPS:
- Incorporate extra movement into everyday activities. Tiny changes can make a big difference.
- Dance with your kids during TV commercials... (Read more)
- Create indoor and outdoor spaces that encourage fitness. Obesity is primarily an environmental disease so consider changing your child's environment to prompt more physical activity... (Read more)
- Play with your kids. Today's hectic schedules make it challenging to spend quality time with family... (Read more)
- Limit TV, video games and computer use. Studies show that a child's weight increases with the number of hours he or she spends watching television each day... (Read more)
- Meet them where they are. When most of today's parents were kids, there was nothing inside the house that could compete with riding bikes, climbing trees and playing kickball until it was too dark outside to see the bases...(Read more)
NUTRITION TIPS:
- Check the label. Many prepared foods include fats or sugars that add more calories without added nutritional benefits. (Read more)
- Go with the grain. Whole grain foods add fiber to the diet which helps keep intestines healthy and creates a feeling of fullness.. (Read more)
- Increase their intake of produce. Filling your kids up with fruits and vegetables is a great way to get them the vitamins, minerals and other healthful compounds they need every day to be healthy... (Read more)
- Start the day with breakfast. Research shows that children who eat breakfast have a tendency to be less overweight than children who don't... (Read more)
- Eat together. Studies show that families who eat together, eat better. Those who regularly eat with their families are more likely than their counterparts to eat more dairy foods and whole grains and to guzzle fewer soft drinks and fried foods... (Read more)
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