FUN, FOOD & FITNESS TOOL KIT CAN HELP YOUNGSTERS STAY HEALTHY
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The success of the Baltimore program encouraged ACFN to develop a Community Action Tool Kit to help other organizations achieve similar results in their local communities. The Fun, Food & Fitness Community Action Tool Kit, which includes reproducible materials, is designed to help individuals and organizations plan, implement, promote and evaluate the effectiveness of health awareness programs to prevent youth from becoming overweight and obese in local communities across America.
About
the Baltimore Fun, Food & Fitness Program
Exciting warm-weather activities are typical fare for children participating
in the summer program at the Pleasant View Gardens Boys and Girls Club in Baltimore.
But during the summer of 2004, there was a delicious and active twist.
That summer more than 100 African-American youngsters enrolled in an eight-week program designed to help them learn practical, realistic ways to achieve better health through balanced nutrition and physical activity. In particular, the kids are learning how to eat healthy and they’re finding ways to get moving and shake their sedentary ways.
Called Summer Fun, Food & Fitness, the program is a collaborative effort between the American Council for Fitness & Nutrition (ACFN), the Boys and Girls Club of Central Maryland and the Baltimore International College of Culinary Arts. It featured weekly interactive cooking segments, basic nutrition instruction, an interactive educational component and fitness activities to help empower children to incorporate healthy eating and fun physical activities into their lives.
Summer Fun, Food & Fitness started with a bang when Maryland Gov. Robert Ehrlich issued a proclamation applauding the program’s goals and efforts. Other community leaders and high profile residents also helped launch the program, including U.S. Congressman Elijah Cummings, who is Chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus, as well as senior representatives from the Boys and Girls Club of Central Maryland, the Baltimore International College of Culinary Arts and the Baltimore Ravens.
And while the kids began their health education immediately by snacking on wholesome sandwich wraps, playing games and sampling new sports equipment donated by ACFN and the Sports Authority, some of the children were initially a bit skeptical. One young participant asked ACFN Chair and registered dietitian Susan Finn if it’s possible for healthy food to taste good.
“Yes,
I think you’ll be surprised. The aim is to make the food that is good
for you taste good, too,” replied Dr. Finn.
Summer Fun, Food & Fitness made this concept a reality by helping the children learn how to prepare recipes of favorite foods in a healthy way. For example, during one of the weekly interactive cooking segments, Chef Travis Marshall taught the kids how to make English muffin pizzas and frozen fruit popsicles. The chef explained that both of these foods, when prepared as they learned during the workshop, feature ingredients kids love and eat regularly. The kids have also learned how to make shopping for healthy food a fun family activity. They have learned how to read food labels and select healthy and tasty snacks. Now these young chefs-in-training have a better idea of how important nutrition is to overall health.
Studies
show that African-Americans have higher rates of overweight and obesity than
any other segment of the population. According to the Centers for Disease Control,
78 percent of African-American women are overweight and 50.8 percent are obese.
African-American men are also at-risk with 60.1 percent overweight and nearly
30 percent obese. And these rates are not limited to adults. African-American
girls have higher rates of obesity than any other child population.
To view a video summary of the Baltimore program, please select a format below.
| Summer
Fun, Food and Fitness |
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| Summer Fun, Food and Fitness |  |
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