Tag Archives: Healthy Kids

Parents, Overweight Kids, Junk Food, And Education

Posted on by
Reply

healthychoiceFrom Your Health Journal…..”A very interesting article written by Norman Byrd in Huliq which discusses how a study has concluded that the parents with a better education tend to have children who eat healthier food. A multi-nation study of over 14,000 children between the ages of 2 and 9 found a link between the level of education of the parents of the children and the level of foods likely to be deemed unhealthy and lead to obesity. Succinctly, found that parents with better educations were more likely to have children who ate more fruits and vegetables and less foods containing sugar and fats, prime contributors to obesity. Data from the study suggests that the lower the parental education level, the more likely they were to feed their children (or allow them to eat) food rich in sugars and fats. Parents with higher levels of education were more likely to introduce their children to vegetables, fruit, pasta, rice and wholemeal bread — foods of a greater nutritional value. As I have been saying for years, it is important that we help ALL parents be educated on good nutrition and the importance of physical activity, in an effort to reduce obesity among children. Obesity is on the rise, along with obesity related illnesses! Change is needed, and education is a powerful tool in the fight to reduce unhealthy lifestyle. Please take the time to visit the Huliq web site (link provided below) to read the complete article. I have included a short ‘snip’ below, but wanted to promote their site and the great work by Norman Byrd presenting this valuable information.”

From the article…..

An eight-nation study of over 14,000 children between the ages of two and nine found a link between the level of education of the parents of the children and the level of foods likely to be deemed unhealthy and lead to obesity. Succinctly, the study, according to Science Daily, found that parents with better educations were more likely to have children who ate more fruits and vegetables and less foods containing sugar and fats, prime contributors to obesity.

The Identification and prevention of dietary- and lifestyle-induced health effects in children and infants (IDEFICS) study took place in eight European countries — Italy, Estonia, Cyprus, Belgium, Sweden, Hungary, Germany and Spain and published in the journal Public Health Nutrition.

Data from the study indicated that the lower the parental education level, the more likely they were to feed their children (or allow them to eat) food rich in sugars and fats. Parents with higher levels of education were more likely to introduce their children to vegetables, fruit, pasta, rice and wholemeal bread — foods of a greater nutritional value.

Juan Miguel Fernández Alvira, the author of the work and a researcher from the University of Zaragoza in Spain, wrote: “The greatest differences among families with different levels of education are observed in the consumption of fruit, vegetables and sweet drinks.”

Fernández Alvira and his colleagues concluded that there was a greater risk of obesity in children and young adults in households where the parents were less educated. The group suggested programs targeted at areas of populations more socio-economically deficient (often the case with populations exhibiting lower education levels).

The study is also comparable to findings in the United States. The Centers for Disease Control’s annual study on obesity in America that ranks the most obese states found the American South predominated the list in 2012, with the states of Mississippi, Louisiana, and Alabama numbers 1, 2, and 4 (with West Virginia third, a state considered a “border southern state”). States with the least number of bachelor’s degrees (as a percentage of the population, according to the U.S. Census Bureau) constituted eight of those top ten states (with West Virginia and Mississippi first and second, respectively). And in a four-criteria survey (from The Street) that included high school graduation rate and average SAT scores, Mississippi and Louisiana made the list once more (fifth and fourth, although it should be noted that all five states were southern, with Texas, Georgia, and South Carolina rounding out the list in descending order).

To read the complete article…..Click here

Experts Weigh In On Childhood Obesity

Posted on by
Reply

obeseboyvectoreatingFrom Your Health Journal…..”I had to promote a wonderful article I read on the ABC News web site written by Dr. Rebecca Sharim Storace entitled Experts Weigh In On Childhood Obesity. Obesity is a growing concern for adults and children. More than one-third of the children and adolescents in the United States are overweight or obese, according to 2010 data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Since 1980, the number of obese children and adolescents has almost tripled, a jump attributed in part to poor food choices and insufficient physical activity. Obesity related illness in children is also up as many suffer from risk factors for heart disease, cancer, type 2 diabetes, asthma, and weaker joints. Children today have become very sedentary. They are overly involved in technology, eat poorly and too often, get less sleep, and less physical activity. According to the CDC, roughly 70 percent of obese youth are thought to have at least one risk factor for heart disease. Very scary stats. So, please visit the ABC News web site (link provided below) to read this complete article. It was well written, educational, and informative.”

From the article…..

Obesity in America is a growing problem, and not just in adults. More than a third of the children and adolescents in the United States are overweight or obese, according to 2010 data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. And since 1980, the number of obese children and adolescents has almost tripled, a jump attributed in part to poor food choices and insufficient physical activity.

Despite the ballooning problem, parents and doctors often find the topic of childhood obesity difficult to discuss. To start the conversation, ABC News’ chief health and medical editor Dr. Richard Besser hosted a Twitter Chat on the subject Tuesday. Experts from the CDC, the National Institutes of Health, and the American Academy of Pediatrics, as well as clinicians, parents and others with personal experience joined in the one-hour discussion.

Here, some of the highlights.

The Risks Are Overwhelming

“Childhood obesity affects every organ system in the body,” tweeted Dr. Seema Kumar, the director of the Pediatric Weight Management Program at Mayo Clinic.

The risks include diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol. In fact, roughly 70 percent of obese youth are thought to have at least one risk factor for heart disease, according to the CDC. What’s more, experts agree that obese youth are at high risk of becoming obese adults, prompting even more health problems, including joint disease, heart disease, sleep apnea and certain cancers.

The health risks of obesity are not only physical, they’re psychological as well. Childhood obesity has been linked to depression, anxiety and poor self-esteem.

“Overweight children are also more likely to be bullied,” tweeted Thomas McInerny, president of the American Academy of Pediatrics.

To read the complete article…..Click here

Keeping Kids Fit – Book

Posted on by
Reply

I honestly had two requests yesterday on where my recent book, Keeping Kids Fit can be purchased.

Here’s the link: Click here

Keeping Kids FitAddressing the childhood obesity crisis that is facing today’s youth, this simple and effective guide to exercise and nutrition provides a comprehensive plan for encouraging children to live healthier, more active lifestyles. Not limited to diet alone, this guide examines the psychology behind sports and how parents can help to positively encourage their children to participate. Reducing the use of technology, keeping healthy sleep patterns, minimizing snacking, and staying hydrated are topics also addressed in this handbook, which helps parents make healthy lifestyles fun and exciting.

I hope many of you can share this link, thanks!

Len

Are Parents Responsible For Childhood Obesity?

Posted on by
1

overweightboyFrom Your Health Journal…..”I just love the Policy Mic web site, always try to bring traffic their way. If you have never been to their site, please visit it, I will post a link below. Today’s article to discuss is called Are Parents Responsible For Childhood Obesity? – written by Abdulrahman El-Sayed. Childhood obesity has tripled since 1980. Today, about 17% of American kids are obese and 25% are overweight. Obesity related illness is also on the rise as many children show signs of heart disease, cancer, type 2 diabetes, and weak joints. Physical education and recreation programs are being cut, and technology is creating sedentary lifestyle. But, the author of this article is questioning whether parents may also be responsible for the rise in childhood obesity. The author writes, “In that respect, what has changed is the environment within which parents are making decisions about food. Rather than being able to choose between several healthy, affordable options, today’s post-subsidy world has rendered the most affordable options the least healthy, forcing parents’ hands in favor of less nutritious diets for children, particularly in low-income settings.” Please visit the Policy Mic web site (link provided below) to read the complete article.”

From the article…..

Recently, I wrote an open letter to LeBron James asking him to reconsider his endorsements with Coca-Cola and McDonald’s and an article decrying Beyoncé’s recent $50 million contract with Pepsi. Reaction to the articles was mixed. Many supported them, recognizing the implicit influence that stars like LeBron and Beyoncé have on the consumption habits of impressionable children.

Others were less supportive. They argued that rather than food companies and trend makers like LeBron and Beyoncé, children today are obese because their parents aren’t doing a good job controlling their children’s diets and coaching them to more active lifestyles.

But the numbers tell a different story.

Childhood obesity has tripled since 1980. Today, about 17% of American kids are obese and 25% are overweight. Such a drastic increase suggests that something has changed over the past 30 years. Getting to the bottom of what’s causing the childhood obesity epidemic means figuring out what is changing.

And it’s probably not parents.

In fact, the numbers suggest that parents are more worried about obesity than ever before. A recent poll found that parents are increasingly worried about childhood obesity— it tied with illegal drug use as the most prominent concern among parents these days.

If parents haven’t stopped caring about their kids’ eating and exercise habits, what has changed?

In 1973, high commodity prices were devastating grain farmers throughout the central U.S. In response, the Nixon administration initiated agricultural subsidies, artificially dropping the global price of corn and other grains. The reverberations of this move still echo throughout the food market — and have important implications for childhood obesity.

Subsidies keep the price of food, from beef to high-fructose corn syrup, artificially low. That, in turn, increases the number of people who eat foods containing these products both here in the U.S. and abroad. American farm subsidies have largely underwritten the global food corporations that have come to be synonymous with obesity, like Coca-Cola, Pepsi, and McDonald’s, by decreasing the cost of their starting materials and allowing them to sell their products at lower prices than the market would otherwise allow.

To read the full article…..Click here

Youth Smoking, Obesity May Lead To Early Death

Posted on by
Reply

smokingFrom Your Health Journal…..”A very interesting article recently recently on the US News & World Report (via HealthDay) web site written by Denise Mann entitled Youth Smoking, Obesity May Lead To Early Death. Now, before many of you say…”duh – this is obvious”, please take the time to read the article. It is an important one not only for the parent to read, but to share with their children. Let’s face it, most young children feel like they are invincible, and why shouldn’t they – they usually are healthy and vibrant, with no body aches or pains. But, what they need to know is they should live healthy now for a healthier future. New government research suggests young adults and teens who smoke, are obese and have high blood sugar levels may be more likely to die before they reach their 55th birthday. As we know, childhood obesity is quickly climbing, as sedentary lifestyle and poor eating habits are causing some alarm in children’s health, especially the many children with signs of heart disease already. Add smoking to this, and we have a serious problem. Please visit the US News & World Report web site (link provided below) to view the complete article. It is well written, informative, and may help a young child in your life.”

From the article…..

Young adults and teens who smoke, are obese and have high blood sugar levels may be more likely to die before they reach their 55th birthday, new government research suggests.

The findings are concerning when viewed in context of the rising rates of childhood obesity in the United States. Childhood obesity has more than doubled in children and tripled in adolescents in the past 30 years, according to the U.S. Centers of Disease Control and Prevention. As a result, diseases and conditions previously only seen in adults are increasingly being diagnosed in children. These include high blood pressure, high cholesterol and type 2 diabetes.

“Given the numbers of youth who are obese, this is a concern,” said the study’s author, Dr. Sharon Saydah, a CDC senior scientist. “Any time somebody dies before age 55, it has an overall societal impact.”

The average life expectancy in the United States is 78.7, according to the CDC.

The report was published online Feb. 18 and will be in the March print issue of the journal Pediatrics.

Saydah and her colleagues analyzed data on close to 9,250 people who took part in the third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.

Participants were aged 12 to 39 when the study was conducted. Of these, more than 15 percent were obese, and 30 percent were smokers. Overall, 298 of the participants died before they turned 55.

Those who smoked between the ages of 12 and 39 had an 86 percent greater risk of dying before 55, compared with those who did not, the data showed. Those who were obese when they were young had a 39 percent higher likelihood of dying before 55, compared with those not obese during these early years. In addition, the risk of dying before 55 tripled among those with high blood sugar levels between the ages of 12 to 39, the study showed. High blood pressure and high cholesterol levels, however, did not affect the risk of dying before age 55.

To read the complete article…..Click here

Reasons For Recess

Posted on by
Reply

boydribbleFrom Your Health Journal…..”A great article this week by Kellie B. Gormly in TribLive called Reasons For Recess. There has been so much talk about childhood obesity – as we discussed many times today, too many children have illness related to it. Cutbacks in recreation programs as well as Physical Education are having a negative impact on the health of children. There seems to be less and less time for activity. Recess is also having it cutbacks, as some school districts are cutting back on this as well. It is one of the most favorite times of the day for kids, as they get some physical activity, exercise, socialization, and it actually enhances cognitive skills. Recess is more than being just idle, goof-off time on the monkey bars, it benefits children‘s minds and bodies. Withholding recess can stunt healthy development, according to a recent policy statement from the American Academy of Pediatrics. The article also suggests that safe and supervised recess is available in about 73 percent of elementary schools regularly — offers children physical, emotional, social and cognitive benefits, such as improved classroom behavior, a better attention span and interaction and bonding with other kids. Please visit the TribLive web site (link provided below) to read the complete article. Please support your local schools recess program!”

From the article…..

On a frigid day with temperatures in the teens, a group of spirited kids spend their recess running around a gym shooting baskets, even scoring a few three-pointers.

Joseph Anania, 8, stops to take a breath, and explains why recess is his favorite part of the day at Shady Side Academy Junior School in Point Breeze.

“Because I get to run around with my friends and play,” says Joseph, a third-grader from Fox Chapel. “I wish we had recess all day.”

Whitney McVeagh — who likes to play games like Four Square and Knockout and ride the swings — enthusiastically agrees.

“I like that you‘re able … to spend time with your friends and do anything you want,” says Whitney, 10, a fourth-grader from Point Breeze. “At some point, you need to get out your energy.”

The kids are on to something, experts say.

Recess — rather than being just idle, goof-off time on the monkey bars — benefits children‘s minds and bodies. Withholding recess can stunt healthy development, according to a recent policy statement from the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Dr. Robert Murray, a pediatrician who was a lead author on the statement, says that safe and supervised recess — which, he says, about 73 percent of elementary schools provide regularly — offers children physical, emotional, social and cognitive benefits, such as improved classroom behavior, a better attention span and interaction and bonding with other kids.

Murray’s examination of decades-long studies for the Academy supports recess for many reasons, including physical fitness, which is important when childhood obesity is so common, he says. Recess, he says, helps a child‘s cognitive process in the same way, for instance, as a coffee break for adults: It breaks concentration from work, releases restlessness and allows someone to return to work with a refreshed mind.

Kids at recess learn skills in collaboration, Murray says, as they play rules-based games with other kids.

“This is very mindful play time, and it‘s very constructive,” a Murray, a former professor of pediatrics at Ohio State University in Columbus, where he now works in the school‘s department of human nutrition. “This is part of what makes the child into a functioning adult: It‘s the opportunity to work with other kids and learn to get along. That is as important of a lesson that you learn at school as math and reading are.”

To read the full article…..Click here

Tips And Tricks To Fight Childhood Obesity

Posted on by
Reply

By Diana Maria

waistsmallOverweight or obese kids have becoming an alarming epidemic across the globe. This problem is affecting households irrespective of class, color, sex and ethnicity. Children of both developing and developed nation are being affected with almost the same intensity. The extra pounds that these kids put on pose a greater health and emotional risk. They can be prone to diabetes, asthma and serious heart ailments. They can also suffer from mental stress because of the alienation from sports and other team activities, as well as possible teasing. They can also lack from enthusiasm and energy when it comes to do something.

One of the most important aspects of fighting obesity during childhood is to understand how they get those extra pounds in the first place. It is observed that mostly children these days are eating too much and not working out enough. More importantly they are hooked up to junk food and sweetened drinks more, which piles up lots of calories and hence those extra pounds. Moreover the situation might be complicated with more time spent idle using computers or video games, or TV or mobile phones. They might be missing out the good old running and sweating by physical exercise and not getting enough calories burned up. So here are a few tips and tricks that might help your child fight obesity and lead a healthy and active life.

#1. All for one and one for all:

familyrunningFighting obesity of a child and getting him or her back to correct shape and health is not someone’s lone responsibility. The best way to do it is to get the whole family involved. If the whole family starts eating healthy, and leads an active life, it will benefit everyone in the family. Moreover they will also become the role model of the child. Eat healthy and keep telling your child what you are eating, at times you can also discuss the positive effects of the food and offer him or her a bite too.

Try to have breakfast and lunch together. That will also show the children that all of you have the same food and also discuss the benefits of them too. Make low calorie snacks, and have healthy drinks like lemonade or fruit juices in the cooler. It is better to avoid those aerated and sweetened drinks.

#2. Watch your food & theirs too:

Most children these days are hooked to junk food and soft drinks that tend to pile up calories and those extra pounds.

Most children these days are hooked to junk food and soft drinks that tend to pile up calories and those extra pounds. So to fight your child from getting overweight it is always better to start healthy eating habits. Serve and encourage eating all vegetables and fruits. Best way is to indulge in eating fresh and seasonal vegetables and fruits as they boost up the immune system as well. Try to avoid the frozen foods as they tend to lose their food value and does not taste great most of the times. Also add enough roughage in the food. Use different colored vegetables to make the dish colorful and attractive. But make sure to use very little fat and oil to cook.

Use fish, nits and vegetables as a source of fats as they are also needed to keep one healthy.

Skipping breakfast or lunch is not a healthy way to lose weight. Make sure that your child has breakfast and lunch and does not remain hungry for too long. Skipping meals does more harm than you can imagine. Make sure that the child also sees you eating all those healthy food and knows their benefit as well.

Avoid junk food and drinks as much as possible and encourage children to do so. Treat them with something special when they do so.

While making snacks or dessert make sure that they are low calorie ones. There are many ways to make delicious low calorie desserts and snacks.

Also keep track of the portions that you are serving. It is better to have small portions over a gap of two to three hours instead of having a huge portion once.

#3. Make them sweat:

boysoccerMake your children work. Let them run or jog or do physical exercise that makes calories burn. You can enroll them for swimming or martial arts or any form of sports that needs rigorous exercise. You can jog and ask them to cycle at a brisk pace with you, or they can run and you can cycle along with the, swimming is a very good option. Also gymnastics and other physically demanding and challenging sports can do a lot of good.

Do not idle yourself and lead an active life, this will help the children follow suit.

There are also some indoor games like badminton that can be very demanding physically. You can also indulge in gardening that can be physically demanding and keep you fit along with your children. Yoga can also be a good option. In case everything else has to be kept on hold for one thing or the other clean the house using the old broom and dusters with your kids.

#4. Reduce Screen time:

Limit the time your children spend in front of the television or the computer. Also limit their mobile phones. More they sit idle more they lose interest in physical activity. And without physical activity they definitely will add on those extra pounds. Take them to walks, parks and that will also do your health a lot of good.

Conclusion:

Your child may be already stressed because of his overweight or obesity. A drastic change in your lifestyle may add more to it. So do it in a slow and steady way and keep him informed about the changes in an informal way. Enroll him / her to some hobby that he/she likes as that has been seen to improve self esteem. Most importantly don’t get let down by love for your child, if you feel your child to be obese consult experts and then plan your moves accordingly. A healthy childhood can only lead to a healthy adulthood.

- Diana Maria is a writer blogger. She loves writing, travelling and reading books. She contributes to Neil Druker.

Childhood Obesity Calculator May Be Most Accurate Predictor Yet

Posted on by
Reply

From Your Health Journal…..”A great article today from CBS in San Francisco about a childhood obesity calculator which can predict a newborn baby’s odds of becoming an obese child using a simple new calculation. The study simply looks at a child’s birth weight, body mass index measurements of its parents, the number of people in the household, what type of occupation the mother has and whether or not she smoked while pregnant. Parental obesity, smoking during pregnancy and socioeconomic status are already known risk factors for childhood obesity. Other risk factors include high-calorie diet, lack of exercise and psychological issues that may lead a child to overeat to cope. Please visit the CBS web site (link provided below) to read the complete article. It is very interesting, and time will tell if it will be accepted by the medical community as well as parents.”

From the article…..

Researchers say they can predict a newborn baby’s odds of becoming an obese child using a simple new calculation.

The new formula factors in six easily-available pieces of information: a child’s birth weight, body mass index measurements of its parents, the number of people in the household, what type of occupation the mother has and whether or not she smoked while pregnant.

“This test takes very little time, it doesn’t require any lab tests and it doesn’t cost anything,” study author Dr. Philippe Froguel, a professor from the School of Public Health at Imperial College London, said in a press release.

In a new study, the researchers derived the formula using data from a study that tracked 4,000 children born in Finland since 1986. At first the researchers were trying to develop a more complex formula looked for mutations in the children’s genetic profiles, but they failed to make accurate predictions.

However, once they used data that was readily available at the child’s birth to create the formula, the researchers found the 20 percent of children predicted to have the highest risk of obesity at birth made up about 80 percent of the obese children in the study pool.

“Once a young child becomes obese, it’s difficult for them to lose weight, so prevention is the best strategy, and it has to begin as early as possible,” said Froguel. “Unfortunately, public prevention campaigns have been rather ineffective at preventing obesity in school-age children. Teaching parents about the dangers of over-feeding and bad nutritional habits at a young age would be much more effective.”

While the researchers were unable to accurately predict child obesity risk using a formula based on genetic variations, they say about one in 10 cases of obesity are caused by rare mutations that disrupt appetite regulation.

To read the full article…..Click here

A Third Of Children Are Overweight

Posted on by
Reply

From Your Health Journal…..”I found a great media web site today called Wigan Today. As you know, I review various articles here, then give a ‘snip’ to the story, and a link where you can read the full article. I strongly urge you to read this local article, as it speaks on ‘national’ levels pertaining to the childhood obesity problem facing youth in the United States and the World. This article suggests how a local community is really investigating ways of obesity prevention, and solving the problem locally. As stated in the article, “This could lead to health problems in the future as 9 out 10 children may grow up with dangerous levels of fat in their bodies, putting them at greater risk of developing long-term health problems.” On the national level, we know that 1 in 3 children are obese or overweight, and 1 in 7 are obese. Small changes can make a big difference, whether cutting back on the liquid candy, going for daily walks, healthier meal / snack selections, and educating children on healthier lifestyles. Many local communities are making a difference, so please read this great article about a town called Wigan, and what they are doing to help children.”

From the article…..

One in five 11-year-olds in Wigan is technically obese, according to new figures.

A report released by the Health and Social Care Information Centre revealed that one in five (19.4 per cent) of year six children in the borough fell into this medical category in 2011/12.

While it is below the North West average of 19.8 per cent, there was another worrying statistic for health and education chiefs, when the figures revealed an increase in year six pupils deemed to be “overweight” from 15 per cent in 2010/11, to 16.2 per cent in 2011/12 – above the North West average of 15 per cent.

Overall, a third of children are currently overweight or obese.

The report revealed that just 8.6 per cent of children in reception were obese, meaning the number more than doubles by the time they reach the end of primary school in the borough.

Dr Kate Ardern, Director of Public Health for Wigan Borough said: “The increase in levels of obesity from early childhood into adulthood is a familiar story seen across all developed nations.

“Worryingly this trend is echoed in Wigan Borough where obesity in Year Six is double that seen in Reception aged children.

“Levels of obesity in Year Six aged children have remain stable at 19.4 per cent, however there has been an increase in overweight children to 16.2 per cent (from 15 per cent in 2010-11).

“It is important that we keep track of our children’s weight; in Wigan more than one in three children are currently overweight or obese.

“This could lead to health problems in the future as 9 out 10 children may grow up with dangerous levels of fat in their bodies, putting them at greater risk of developing long-term health problems. Work across Wigan Borough CCG and Wigan Council has led to the development of a pathway of Healthy Weight services for children and young people aged 0 to 18 years and their families.

To read the full article…..Click here

Guest Post – Patrick Muldoon, Getting More Kids In The Game

Posted on by
Reply

boysoccerEvander Holyfield once said “It is not the size of the man but the size of his heart that matters.” Anyone who has ever sat on the sideline and watched a youth sports team knows the truth to those words, especially when it’s school-aged boys and girls teaming up and giving it everything they’ve got on the field, in the pool or on the court.

Study after study shows that participating in sports helps children develop stronger social skills, learn how to set and achieve goals, develop leadership skills and qualities, gain a greater sense of independence and confidence, and develop an overall stronger body and mind.

Girls, in particular, stand to benefit from getting involved in sports at a young age. According to the Women’s Sports Foundation, female high school athletes are 92% less likely to use drugs, 80% less likely to get pregnant, and three times more likely to graduate than non-athletes.

However, due to the rising cost of youth sports, more than 62% of kids ages 9-13 do not participate in any organized physical activity outside of school hours because of financial constraints.

However, due to the rising cost of youth sports, more than 62% of kids ages 9-13 do not participate in any organized physical activity outside of school hours because of financial constraints. A family can easily spend several thousand dollars per year on uniforms, equipment, training and travel for a child’s sports team, and families with kids in a sport like hockey can spend upward of $10,000 per year. Perhaps this is one reason that, according to the National Alliance for Youth Sports, of those that do play, 70% will drop out by the age of 13.

Fortunately, organizations like KIDS in the GAME are stepping up to provide a way for underserved kids to get involved in youth sports. KIDS in the GAME is a national non-profit organization that was designed specifically to increase opportunities for youth to participate in sports regardless of ability, ethnicity or socio-economic background.

girlsoccerThrough KIDS in the GAME, for example, donors can browse young athlete support requests and give any amount to the ones that inspire them. For example, earlier this year the Detour bar company provided funding that allowed 200 boys and girls nationwide to play soccer through a donation to KIDS in the GAME and a partnership with the American Youth Soccer Organization.

In addition to enabling kids from California to Alabama to join their local soccer teams, 20 kids from the program also had a chance to attend an exhibition game of the United States gold medal-winning soccer team and to meet gold medalist Megan Rapinoe in person following the game at The Home Depot Center in California.

Although it’s statistically unlikely that one of these 20 children will go on to become the next Megan Rapinoe, there is a good chance that if they stick with sports they will go on to graduate from high school, develop stronger relationships, be engaged members of the community and live a healthier lifestyle. It’s easy to see how we all benefit from getting more kids in the game. I hope you join us.

- Patrick Muldoon is CEO of Forward Foods, maker of Detour protein bars. Through its “Detour For Good” program the company supports charities and non-profit organizations that help children and adults choose and follow the path to overall wellness. Muldoon is particularly passionate about supporting the health and well-being of future generations.