Fat-Proof Kids?As Concern Mounts Over Childhood Obesity and Inactivity, Health Clubs Are Offering Classes for Children
Posted on: Tuesday, 7 March 2006, 00:00 CST
By ELYSE ASHBURN
GREENSBORO -- Four years ago, Missy Pupello finally had enough.
She was tired of seeing so many children, even toddlers, who were overweight.
So, Pupello started Fun Fitness for Kids, an exercise and nutrition program that she took into local preschools.
The service was in high demand.
Soon, Pupello started offering after-school programs for elementary-school kids, and last March, Pyramids Wellness Center came calling.
The health club was looking to expand its programs for teens and kids -- an increasingly popular move.
Childrens programs are now available at about a third of the gyms in the United States, according to estimates by the International Health, Racquet and Sportsclub Association.
And teens and tots are flooding the market. Their membership numbers have climbed from 3.7 million nationwide in 1999 to 4.6 million in 2004.
The growth has been fueled in large part by parents mounting concern about childhood obesity and inactivity, experts say.
Theres been a great increase in awareness about the importance of physical activity, said Brooke Correia, spokeswoman for the International Health, Racquet and Sportsclub Association. Fear may also be driving some of the membership.
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The City Health Club in downtown Greensboro is preparing to launch programs for kids, owner Joe Beato said. And Fitness Today started teen classes last month.
The Kathleen Price Bryan Family YMCA launched a Cardio Kids Club in November that meets every weekday for an hour, and the staff is planning new fitness programs for kids and teens.
Kids fitness is one of our biggest issues right now, said Jackie Robinson, fitness director for the Bryan YMCA. The childhood obesity issue is something were looking into really tackling.
Dozens of children already attend the weekly programs available at Pyramids Wellness Center in Greensboro, and more are arriving every month.
I know a lot of members join here because of whats available for kids, said Pupello, the youth fitness coordinator at Pyramids.
Classes for elementary students range from cardio kickboxing and cheerobics to yoga and strength training. Preschool offerings focus more on overall fitness and nutrition.
On a recent Monday at Pyramids, a group of squirmy pre-schoolers wrapped up their cardio session -- a lot of hopping and psuedo- dance moves -- and settled in for a nutrition talk.
Whats in the milk group? Pupello asked.
Cows.
Eventually, they got around to yogurt and milk.
Pupello estimates that about 30 to 40 percent of the kids she works with are overweight, and countless more dont eat properly.
Im fighting really hard, and sometimes I feel like Im fighting a losing battle, she said.
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Still, some child-health experts say organized fitness isnt always the best way to keep children trim.
Children are not miniature adults, said Ron Young, a Greensboro pediatrician. Id like to see regular old chase-around on the playground.
Organized sports and activities are good to an extent, he said, but its important that parents make sure they arent over-scheduling or concentrating on one activity at too young an age. That can lead to burn-out and overuse injuries.
And the best way to teach nutrition is just to feed children properly, he said.
But parents say they sometimes need the extra support health clubs provide.
With basketball season winding to a close, Suzie Addington was looking for a way for her 12-year-old daughter, Melissa, to stay active.
So, Addington approached Robin McCloskey at the Elm Street branch of Fitness Today.
And last week, McCloskey launched a Saturday class for 12- to 17- year-olds looking to get into or stay in shape -- the first class at the gym for teens.
With the obesity problem, not that it applies to my daughter, Addington said, you would think more parents would want to get their kids involved in something like this.
Contact Elyse Ashburn at 373-7090 or eashburn@news- record.comFeatures
Source: Greensboro News Record
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