Welcome to the
The Michiana Family YMCA strengthens the foundations of our community through well-being and fitness, camps, family time, swim, sports and play, and other activities for people of all ages, incomes and abilities. We’re more than just a place to work out. At the Y, we help build a healthy spirit, mind and body for all with the core values of caring, honesty, respect and responsibility at the heart of everything we do.
With a commitment to nurturing youth development, promoting healthy living, and fostering a sense of social responsibility, the Y ensures that every individual has access to the essentials needed to learn, grow and thrive.
ENVIRONMENTS THAT NURTURE
29 November 2011
In the headlines today, a question: Should parents of obese children lose custody?
According to the Centers for Disease Control, over the past three decades, the childhood obesity rate in the US has more than doubled for preschool children aged 2-5 years and adolescents aged 12-19 years, and it has more than tripled for children aged 6-11 years.
- Overweight is defined as a Body Mass Index (or BMI) at or above the 85th percentile and lower than the 95th percentile for children of the same age and sex.
- Obesity is defined as a BMI at or above the 95th percentile for children of the same age and sex.
In Indiana, approximately 1/3 of kids surveyed said they drink more than one sugar-added soft drink a day, watch TV more than 3 hours a day and do not have daily meals together with their families. Not coincidentally, in Indiana, more than one in four kids (ages 6-19) are obese.
A recent article in People Magazine urges caution before putting small children on a “diet.”
Growing children need proper nutrition to develop into healthy adults, says Marilyn Tanner-Blasiar, a spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association.
Further, discussing weight at such a young age could cause children to grow up with an unhealthy fixation on body image. "You don't want to make kids unhappy with their bodies," says Kelly Brownell, head of Yale University's Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity.
So what’s a concerned parent to do?
Parents are our best and first teachers. We know that when parents model healthy habits, kids will develop similar behaviors. But we also know that the biggest influence in a growing child’s life will be their peer group.
At the Y, we are community of health-seekers. We encourage all those who take part in our programs and activities to adopt healthy habits, such as regular physical exercise and nutrition-filled meals.
The places kids go in their daily lives - schools, child care facilities, and their communities - influence what they eat. With the increasing problem of childhood obesity in the U.S., supporting healthy food choices is key to reaching health goals for families.
That is why we are offering a series of food preparation programsat the Y, to focus on creating healthy holiday food choices.
Chef Joan Mansfield is a certified gourmet and teacher with Martin’s School of Cooking. She will help us find new ways to celebrate and have a happy, healthy New Year.
She has assisted in developing cookbooks for the Junior League of South Bend and Friends for Faye. She loves to cook and shares her passion for cooking with her own children.
Try these tips from www.foodfriends.org to get your kids on a healthy path:
- Make food fun by keep offering new foods.
- Be a good role model by eating new foods with children.
- Let children choose new foods.
- Help children learn about new foods.
- Try offering one new food at a time.
- Avoid forcing children to try new foods.
For more information on youth development and healthy living at the Y, JOIN US!
