Community-based, Family-centered Programs to Promote Physical Activity

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Community-based, family-centered programs may offer an effective, low-cost method for encouraging children to adopt healthy lifestyle practices. For instance, a pilot study of The YMCA Healthy, Fit, and Strong Program found that the low cost, and simple design of this program could provide YMCAs and community organizations across the country with a means for developing and maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

Club sport participation and fitness programs offered through organizations like the YMCA are examples of alternatives that can offer children ways to be active, outside of school time. Because most children do not receive the recommended 60 minutes of daily physical activity they should be getting, community based programs may offer children a solution to this problem.

Club Sport Participation Could Solve Childhood Obesity Epidemic This op-ed from the San Angelo Standard Times touches on how children in Texas are only required to have 135 minutes per week of at school physical activity, when the CDC recommends that they participate in 60 minutes of physical activity per week. The author suggests participation in club sports outside of school as well as family involvement  as strategies to get children to be more active.