Success Story

32% of Georgia teenagers are considered overweight or obese. Our fitness programs aim to reduce that number...

Alicia

According to 2007 Youth Risk Behavior Survey data, 32% of Georgia’s youth (9th-12th grades) are overweight or obese.

  • Only 44% of the youth in these grade levels are meeting current physical activity recommendation levels.
  • Only one-in-five youth eat fruits and vegetables at least five times a day.
  • And 43% percent watch three or more hours of television each day.

At BGCMA, we believe it is an important and vital part of our overall educational programming to educate and engage youth in healthy habits and physical activity. Every child is required to get 45 minutes of daily physical exercise. They obtain this exercise through programs offered at the Clubs like:

  • Sports, Play & Active Recreation for Kids (SPARK): SPARK incorporates daily activity for the development of motor skills, movement knowledge, and social and personal skills. 
  • Make-A-Splash: a swimming program that teaches more than 800 kids to swim each year and teaches safety guidelines to hundreds more.
  • Jr. RBI baseball program: a baseball and softball program that engages more than 1,500 boys and girls.
  • Flag football leagues, soccer leagues, Kilometer Kids track program, basketball leagues and more.

BGCMA also teaches young children the importance of nutrition and healthy life choices through:

  • Triple Play: a game plan for the mind, body and soul that demonstrates how eating right, keeping fit and forming positive relationships add up to a healthy lifestyle.
  • SMART Moves: a comprehensive prevention program that helps young people resist alcohol, tobacco and other drug use and premature sexual activity.
  • Passport to Manhood: a program that promotes and teaches responsibility in boys, ages 11-14.
  • SMART Girls: a small-group health, fitness, prevention/education and self-esteem enhancement program designed to meet the developmental needs of girls, ages 8-12 and 13-17.

BGCMA is fighting obesity and helping prevent negative health and life issues in Club children. Obesity affects the state's economy. In Georgia, the medical costs associated with adult obesity were $2.1 billion in 2003. We hope to reduce that number by educating our children now, avoiding costs later.

Success Breeds Success!

See more stories of success resulting from involvement in the Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta.