Washington's Childhood Obesity Epidemic - May National Fitness Month

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Washington’s Childhood Obesity Epidemic; Challenges, Treatments and
Prevention Edit


fitnessFitness Centers Around the DC Area Tackle Obesity Just In Time
for May, the National Physical Fitness and Sports Month


By Janine Theriault, staff writer


WASHINGTON,(RPRN) 5/14/09 - The old maxim “there is no time like the
present” is particularly applicable to the epidemic of childhood
obesity this month, as new studies highlight yet more concerns for the
health of the nation’s children and we enter into May – otherwise
known as National Physical Fitness and Sports Month.


The topic should be of general interest (and particular concern) to
residents of Washington D.C. now, as the area appears to be the
epicenter of the modern endemic, and the current month affords even
more opportunity, resources, and motivation for tackling the problem
of childhood obesity head on.


According to a 2007 study by the Trust for America’s Health, a D.C.
nonprofit organization, Washington’s southeast Ward 8 has the highest
childhood obesity rate in the country, an ignominious distinction for
the nation’s Capitol. But it would be wishful thinking to leave the
problem at the boundaries of Wards 7 and 8; although the challenges
faced by inner city kids are greater and more varied, obesity knows no
bounds. Suburban kids keep putting on the pounds as well.

However, experts say the common roots of the problems are the same for
all kids, regardless of their background.

“Kids face more of a challenge today,” says Celia Kibler, a local
childhood health and fitness specialist. “Life is more hectic than it
was before,” Kibler continues, “Parents have to work more now.” The
complicated lifestyle of over-worked parents and multiple households
can leave children with a lack of routine in their eating and exercise
habits, making tracking their activities much more difficult.


Adding to the inherent disadvantages this generation faces, 92 per
cent of elementary schools do not have year-round daily physical
education classes, and only about one-third of high school students
take daily physical education classes, according to The American Heart
Association. Nearly one-third of elementary schools do not schedule
recess on a regular basis, with more schools adopting the practice,
which Kibler calls “outrageous” given the multitude of damning
evidence on the ill-effects of the practice on children’s already
beleaguered health.

Luckily, there are an ever-growing number of options for D.C. parents
and families concerned with treating or preventing obesity in their
children.


Starting from the very top of the Washington chain of command, The
President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports (or the PCPFS)
offers up The President’s Challenge from May 1 to July 24, initially a
national youth fitness test that now “takes staying active beyond the
school gym, and into everyday life”, as stated on the initiative’s
presidentschallenge.org website . On the site can be found various
challenges to suit all ages and activity levels, including a Kids
Challenge that offers awards for reaching goals and links to other
local participating groups, for children inspired by the Obama
presidency or motivated by achievement.

The Alliance for a Healthier Generation, a partnership between the
American Heart Association and former President Bill Clinton’s William
J. Clinton Foundation, offers many handy resources for concerned
parents, including the Alliance Parent Resource Guide, a downloadable
25-page guide that can help families start the transition to a
healthier lifestyle at home.


For a more direct and immediate approach - and for those who prefer to
de-emphasize competition and embrace a more inclusive and fun-focused
approach to fitness – the locally-founded Funfit program offers a wide
variety of activities for kids of all ages and ability levels,
including those with special needs. The programs specifically focus on
enabling kids of any fitness level to “participate and excel, build
self-confidence and self-worth”, says Kibler, co-founder, President,
and instructor at Funfit – bringing kids closer to the ultimate goal
of over-all health and well-being.

Winners of Comcast’s “Best Of The City 2008” for the Washington D.C.
area, the Funfit programs boast Kung Fu, Ballet, Cheerleading and Yoga
classes, parental inclusion (come prepared to sweat), circuit strength
training specifically tailored to children and exclusive to Funfit
(for kids who eschew group participation – complete with Nintendo’s
interactive “wii-sports”), and a customized program including
nutrition counseling and cooking classes for kids and their parents,
providing an excellent base for prevention - as well as the customized
program for kids for whom weight may already be an issue. Funfit
classes can also be found in various schools & recreation centers
throughout Maryland and Virginia, as well as Colorado and New York.


So while the time for action has never been more ripe nor more dire
for childhood obesity; but advice, support, and programming exists to
help D.C.’s parents and children.


About the author: Janine Theriault is a reporter for RushPRnews and
Hollywood Today. She covers the entertainment, arts and Culture beat,
and is available for freelance assignments. Write her at
Jan...@rushprnews.com

To contact Celia Kibler the founder of Funfit Family Fitness Centers,
write her at ce...@funfit.us