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Healthy Living Standards For Youth

The YMCA is committed to ensuring opportunities for health and well-being for our youth.

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Published Wednesday, December 7, 2011 7:00 am

Wednesday, November 30, 2011, Neil Nicoll, President of the YMCA of the U.S.A., announced the commitment YMCAs across the country have to ensuring opportunities for the health and well-being of our youth. The Partnership for a Healthier America states, “one in three kids are overweight or obese.”

The YMCA and JCC of Greater Toledo, the area’s largest child care provider with more than 1,800 children enrolled, will have a direct impact addressing nutrition and physical activity issues for our kids.

The Y has committed to expand our efforts to help children live healthier lives by adopting healthy eating and physical activity standards in our early childhood and afterschool programs.

The standards are based on evidence-based practices that are known to be effective in a childcare setting. The standards include: establish minimum expected physical activity for children; designate fruits and vegetables as snack options; designate water as the primary beverage during snack times; limit screen time; encourage breastfeeding of infants in our care; and conduct parent education to encourage healthy behaviors at home.

As a leading nonprofit for strengthening community through youth development, healthy living and social responsibility, the Y addresses national issues - such as chronic disease prevention - in communities across the U.S. This commitment will further our ability to help hundreds of thousands of kids improve their health. More than 1,275 children participate in Y early childcare and afterschool programs daily. Our ability to further their health will be significant.

“Since 2003, our local association recognized this cause and partnered with business and community leaders to ensure opportunities of healthy living for our kids. We have had success, but certainly have much more to accomplish within our community. The YMCA/JCC is extremely excited about the recent announcement from Y-USA championing this cause nationally.” - YMCA and JCC of Greater Toledo President and CEO Todd Tibbits

In 2003 the YMCA and JCC of Greater Toledo established Kids In Motion (KIM), a program designed to provide opportunities for children in the community to engage in physical activity, as well as share tips for healthy eating. It is currently offered to children enrolled in the early childhood and afterschool programs and is supported by The Andersons, Danberry Realtors, ProMedica and The University of Toledo.

The YMCA and JCC promotes healthy snack options to the children with fresh fruits and vegetables. Other components include daily structured physical activity, training opportunities for staff on how to offer physical activity and nutrition curriculum, limiting the kids screen time and encouraging parents to offer healthy behaviors at home.

Pioneering Healthier Communities is a collaborative community initiative. The YMCA and JCC is working with Toledo City Mayor Mike Bell, Toledo Public Schools, ProMedica, Mercy Children’s Hospital, Lucas County Commissioner Pete Gerken, United Way of Greater Toledo, Toledo Community Foundation, University of Toledo, Toledo Lucas County Health Department, Toledo Chamber of Commerce and Neighborhood Health Association to focus on four objectives for increasing physical activity and improved nutrition:

Increasing access to fruits and vegetables
Enhancing infrastructure and safety where persons can walk and/or bike
Increasing healthier foods in the afterschool setting
Improving access to physical activity and play

The YMCA and JCC of Greater Toledo has been a forerunner providing opportunities for the health and well-being of our youth. It is our cause, nurturing the potential of our youth.