YMCA of the East
Bay’s 25th Annual Healthy Kids Day Breaks Last Year’s
Participation Record by 25%
The YMCA of the East Bay today announced that their April 30
Healthy Kids Day festivities, a series of community events for kids and
families to encourage active minds and bodies, served over 1,600 people-- an increase
of about 25% over last year. Activities
took place in Oakland, Richmond, Castro Valley and Hayward and were guided by Y
staff and over 150 volunteers.
“The Y believes in the potential of all kids and Healthy
Kids Day is a great reminder of that. Our
communities, and the nation, are currently in a health crisis and we like to
use Healthy Kids Day as an opportunity to remind families that we are here to
support their overall health year-round,” said Robert Wilkins, President
& CEO of the YMCA of the East Bay.
According to a recentarticle in Fortune Magazine, “childhood obesity is now a global
crisis. Children
who are obese are very likely to remain obese as an
adult, putting them at higher risk for heart disease, type 2
diabetes, and asthma. However, the effects go beyond the health risks and can
lead to social discrimination and low self-esteem.” A similar articlein Reuters Health/The Huffington Post stated that “Children and teens should get at least 60 minutes of moderate to
vigorous activity every day, the World Health Organization recommends. But in
the U.S., only an estimated 8 percent of youth meet this standard, researchers
report in the journal Pediatrics.”
The YMCA of
the East Bay aims to improve the health and well-being in the communities it
serves by providing activities that promote wellness, reduced risk for disease
and a means to achieve the overall health goals of every individual. Many of the Y’s locations offer sports and recreational activities,
health classes, group interests, mental health services and more. In upcoming months, branches will also be
supporting several national health initiatives such as National Sports & Physical Fitness Month, National Childhood Obesity Month, American Diabetes Month, to name a few.
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