South County YMCA Partners With Schools To Reverse the Trend

When you were a kid, your teacher probably couldn’t tap the smart board, connect to the internet, and click on an exercise video featuring the song “Wipeout”, just to get you and your classmates up on your feet, hearts pounding. On the other hand, you probably didn’t spend 4-6 hours a day in front of a television, computer, or video game screen.  And processed foods, fast food, and sugary drinks were occasional treats, and not your regular diet.   The fact is that obesity rates in elementary-aged school children have tripled in the past 30 years.  And for the first time in the past century, the current generation of children may have a shorter life expectancy than their parents. 

So what do we do?  With a grant from Gulf Coast Community Foundation of Venice, the YMCA Student Wellness Initiative was launched in fall 2008, with 900 3^rd, 4^th and 5^th graders from Venice Elementary, Taylor Ranch, Garden Elementary, and Laurel Nokomis Schools.  Students took part in an innovative pilot program developed through a partnership between the South County Family YMCA and the Sarasota County School District that focused on increased activity and proper nutrition.  Just ask the students about 5-2-1-0, a national initiative that addresses childhood obesity, and they’ll tell you it’s all about doing the right thing.  Five fruits or vegetables each day; two hours or less of screen time, one hour of moderate physical activity, and zero sugary drinks, (yes that really means none!)    

Working  with classroom and P.E. teachers, YMCA staff partnered with the Instructional Technology Dept. of the Sarasota County School District to create and film twenty 30-minute exercise videos for teachers to use in their classrooms, helping them fulfill the State of Florida’s 150 minute per week P.E. mandate. 

Childhood obesity is not just “kid stuff”.  It’s an epidemic throughout our society, and we must take steps now to reverse the trend.  The issue must be addresses at every level and in every sector within our community, through continuing collaborations and partnerships between individuals, schools, families, government, and corporations.  Together we can begin to reverse the trend.  Our children’s lives depend on it.  Remember… 5-2-1-0, and let’s get moving.