YMCA Kidz Fit program a hit with Hazelwood youths [St. Louis Post-Dispatch]
Apr. 29--Eight-year-old Kyra Stewart has learned a thing or two about being healthy and fit, in the past few months.
She's learned that doing radar twists will make the muscles in her belly strong and firm.
She's learned that marinated asparagus tastes like dill pickles.
She's learned that exercise can be fun.
And, most surprising of all, she's learned that healthy foods often taste good.
"And when it's not," said Kyra, in all earnestness, "you don't say 'eeooo!' You say, 'That's different.' "
So she's learned good manners, too.
Kyra learned these things in YMCA Kidz Fit, an after-school program at Arrowpoint Elementary School in Hazelwood, which teaches children, ages 5 to 12, and their parents about nutrition, fitness and self-esteem.
A scaled-down version of the program has been in 159 local after-school programs for a few years. In the past two years, Aetna Inc., gave the YMCA a $50,000 grant, allowing it to pick five Hazelwood schools where it could expand the program beyond simply providing nutritious foods and exercise to kids.
The YMCA has hired certified personal trainers, developed family events, including parent workshops, and created taste tests of healthy foods.
In the month of April alone, taste tests offered kids a chance to sample low-fat, nutritious foods ranging from sweet and sour cabbage and anchovy paste to southwestern bean salad and Arrabbiata, a spicy tomato and red pepper sauce.
Jalisa Smith, 11, said: "I want to get healthy, eating healthy things besides hot chips and Pop Tarts."
Linda Stallings, site director for the YMCA, believes the taste tests might be the biggest success.
"I was shocked," said Stallings, who's known as Miss Missy by everyone at Arrowpoint. "They were asking for seconds and thirds. You never know what they will like."
'HEALTHY CAN BE FUN'
The program also takes children on field trips to the YMCA Trout Lodge in Potosi, Mo., where they hike, rock climb and repel; to the Katy Trail to ride bicycles; and to SkyZone Recreational Center in Chesterfield where they bounce on trampolines.
"We wanted to show kids that getting healthy can be fun," says Laurie McTearnen, vice president of Child Care and Camp Services at YMCA of Greater St. Louis.
Kidz Fit is one more tool that schools, fitness organizations and health insurance companies are using to fight the growing rate of childhood obesity.
Between 1980 and 2008, obesity increased from 6.5 percent to 19.6 percent among children ages 6 to 11 years, and from 5 percent to 18.1 percent among youths 12 to 19.
The trend threatens to further drive up health care costs and burden an already struggling system.
Obese children and adolescents are at greater risk for a number of health issues including sleep apnea, bone and joint problems, and social and psychological problems such as stigmatization and poor self-esteem.
They're also more likely to become overweight or obese adults, raising their risk for heart disease, type 2 diabetes, stroke, several types of cancer, and osteoarthritis.
'WELLNESS ORGANIZATION'
Funding programs like Kidz Fit aligns with several of Aetna's goals, said Scott Nilsen, director of sales.
"We have objectives to work with the youth of today to learn proper nutrition, the importance of exercise and how to lead all-around fruitful lives," he said. "We're a wellness organization, striving to reduce health care costs, and one of the drivers of good health care is assisting in getting better, healthier lifestyles."
The 15 kids at Arrowpoint on a recent afternoon were damp with sweat after finishing a half-hour, high-intensity workout that looked a lot like jumping, dancing and goofing off, with the appealing way YMCA fitness instructor Ricco Lopez packaged it.
Lopez spent eight hours recently learning exercise routines for the Kidz Fit program -- four of those hours were spent on jump rope routines alone.
"The boys say, 'No jumping rope. That's a girl's game.' " said Lopez. "I say no, it's exercise. It's good for you."
And so there they all were bopping from one side of the large gym to the other, twirling their orange jump ropes as they tried routines that Lopez called out.
Then they did calisthenics and played hot potato, which required them to stand in a circle and quickly toss a plastic ball to someone across from them.
Several dropped the ball, sending them leaping and scrambling across the floor.
"Hey, watch this," yelled Kemhari Pruitt, 6, jumping rope between a row of tables, while everyone else took a water break.
Later, Kemhari explained that he likes to exercise because it builds muscle.
Army Sgt. Nicholas Pruitt said his son loves Kidz Fit and so does he.
"It expends energy before they get home and start doing homework," said Pruitt, 29, of Hazelwood. "It's a way to help them wind down for the evening."
Pruitt added that several of his family members have died because of hypertension, so Kidz Fit could help prevent that in his sons.
Beverly Stewart Anderson, came to pick up Kyra, her granddaughter. Kyra's parents are on active military duty, and Anderson said she's impressed with Kidz Fit.
"Every day they tell you what they are doing and send home sheets with the foods they served and healthy recipes," Anderson said. "She's constantly bringing home educational material."
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