Childhood fitness emphasized in local programs
Schools, YMCA promote activities to fight youth obesity
By: Glen Reese
Thursday, July 5, 2007 5:17 PM CDT
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Childhood fitness has become a hot topic in the nation with recent studies reporting the widespread dilemma of youth obesity.
The Raytown School District and private entities in the Raytown area are taking the problem seriously.
Elementary schools have a district fitness program for students every third school day. Four areas are emphasized: upper body strength, flexibility, abdominal strength and cardiovascular endurance, which is promoted through a mile run.
“We stress various fitness activities,” Westridge Elementary School physical education teacher Michael Mitchell said. “We try to be creative. We have them playing team sports and low organizational games at the same time.”
A lot of the students are out of school for the summer. Sitting inside watching television or playing video games is OK — to a point, Mitchell said.
“There’s nothing wrong with video games,” Mitchell said. “But stay active with physical activities, too. Ride your bike, play with friends or get into a league. We want well-rounded students. We encourage them to read. We want them to work both their minds and their bodies. Don’t be one-dimensional.”
The Raytown YMCA has myriad programs to help kids stay active during the summer months.
“We have something for beginners and kids every night,” health and wellness director Chris Bessmer said. “That’s a passion for me. We take in everybody and make it as cheap as we possibly can.”
The YMCA offers lessons for the Latin dance Zumba and beginner step aerobics. The Family Fitness Challenge is held on most Monday nights featuring physical educational games, and a handout covering a different topic is distributed each week.
Sports World is new this year. Kids use weight balls and plastic noodles for cardiovascular exercises. The Teen and Tween program teaches youths and teenagers how to use the YMCA exercise equipment correctly.
Dance, Dance Revolutions is held in the arcade area with constantly moving dance steps shown on a screen using a PlayStation. A summer school physical education program is available for ages 5 to 15 on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.
A Kid-Power program will start in the fall with the goal of warding off childhood obesity. Challenge sheets will be handed out featuring topics such as nutrition, cardiovascular fitness and muscular fitness.
The YMCA has been working with KMBC-TV on a fitness challenge, coming up with creative ways to keep children active.
“We want to introduce kids to a healthy lifestyle and make it fun at the same time,” Bessmer said. “It’s all working out.”
Parental involvement is a big part of the solution.
“Parents need to be a so-called role model,” Bessmer said. “My parents didn’t work out, so I didn’t really get into fitness until I was in college. Parents have the No. 1 impact on their kids. They need the correct knowledge so that they can take it back home with them to pass on to the kids.”
Staff writer Glen Reese can be reached at 358-6397 or greese@npgco.com.
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Here’s a scary result of the increase in childhood obesity: A new study confirms that it’s been accompanied by a spike in the number of children diagnosed with type 2 — or adult onset — diabetes around the globe. In fact, some 45 percent of teens with diabetes now have type 2. Unlike type 1, which is caused by an inherited disorder where the pancreas doesn’t make enough insulin, in type 2 diabetes the body becomes desensitized to insulin. Both types are serious, chronic illnesses that dramatically increase the risk of other problems (like kidney failure or heart disease). So beware!
