Diet and Exercise Trends for 2011

6 Health Trends We Love

Naysayers would have you convinced otherwise, but we see plenty of signs that our country isn’t destined to be fat
By Emily G. W. Chau fitbie
 

Focusing on Children’s Health

Here’s one for the kids. From Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move! campaign to the rise of youth-based fitness, we’re seeing a renewed focus on children’s health. And for good reason. “The incidence of childhood obesity is a huge hot-button issue,” says Pete McCall, exercise physiologist and a spokesperson for the American Council on Exercise. “Because of kids’ poor health and low activity levels, they’re starting to develop Type 2 diabetes.” Luckily, we’re already seeing promising steps towards getting our youth to eat better and move more. A big kudos goes out to Walmart, which recently pledged to lower the costs of fruits and vegetables, reduce sodium levels in their packaged foods by 25%, and cut added sugars by 10% by 2015. In another hopeful move, schools are trying to find ways to make physical activity a lifelong habit. Instead of teaching 8 weeks of kickball, our kids are learning how to exercise, measure their heart rate, lift weights, and stretch, says McCall. Public schools in Washington, DC, are revamping their PhysEd curriculums to include the SPARK program (Sports, Play, and Active Recreation for Kids), which provides teaching tools, equipment, and training to gym teachers and students.
0 Comments
More From fitbie
Keywords:
Related Content