The Mt. Diablo Region YMCA Invites Families to 'Put Play in Your Day' and Bring Healthy...

The Mt. Diablo Region YMCA Invites Families to 'Put Play in Your Day' and
Bring Healthy Habits Home During the Nation's Largest Health Day for Children
and Families
Kids and Families Are Invited to Celebrate YMCA Healthy Kids Day Saturday,
April 12 Sponsored by Kaiser Permanente and Overaa Construction

PLEASANT HILL, Calif., April 11 /PRNewswire/ -- The Mt. Diablo Region YMCA
will join more than 1,700 YMCAs nationwide in the 17th annual YMCA Healthy
Kids Day on Saturday, April 12 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the Concord Clayton
YMCA, Delta Family YMCA, and Irvin Deutscher Family YMCA. An opportunity for
kids and families to "Put Play in Their Day," this special event uses free,
fun, engaging and creative activities to encourage children and families to
adopt behaviors that support a healthy lifestyle. YMCA Healthy Kids Day is
part of YMCA Activate America, a national initiative designed to help children
and adults discover and sustain healthier ways to live. Locally, Healthy Kids
Day is sponsored by Kaiser Permanente and Overaa Construction.
Unhealthy eating and physical inactivity are associated with an increased
risk of a number of chronic health conditions, including overweight and
obesity. In fact, the percentage of young people who are overweight has
tripled over the last 25 years. In 2005, a panel of experts from the Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention recommended that school-age children
participate in moderate to vigorous activity for a minimum of 60 minutes a
day. Studies have shown that children who develop healthy exercise and eating
habits while they are young are more likely to maintain healthy lifestyles
through adulthood.
"The challenge is that many families see healthy living as an
all-or-nothing proposition. Through this lens, achieving a healthier lifestyle
can seem overwhelming or out of reach," said Adrienne Carew, vice president of
strategic marketing for the Mt. Diablo Region YMCA. "YMCA Healthy Kids Day
shows families and kids that making healthy choices can be easy, fun and
accessible to everyone. And through our new Healthy Family Home resources,
we're giving families take-home tools to help them assess the foundation of
how they play, eat and connect together as a family."
Activities taking place during YMCA Healthy Kids Day vary from branch to
branch but includes health screenings, arts and crafts, interactive games,
cooking demonstrations, health and safety seminars, health and fitness classes
designed for kids, and more. Parents are encouraged to participate in these
healthy and engaging activities with their kids. Registration for summer
programs and camps will also take place at the event.
A free YMCA giveaway with tips on raising healthy, active kids will
available, as will prizes for all children who participate in the day's
activities. Additional resources will be available to help kids and families
achieve their greatest potential from strengthening their financial health to
building better bonds together to improving their physical health and
nutritional well-being.
"So many families and individuals desire a healthier and happier life but
struggle to sustain it," said Carew. "Whether they are in our YMCA facilities,
out in the community, or in their own homes, we want families to know that we
are here to help them find a way to start establishing new, healthy habits,
and that we also offer a supportive community to help them along the way."
YMCA Healthy Kids Day reminds Americans that as individuals and families
they can be a part of improving their community as well as themselves --
strengthening bonds, building positive values, spending time together,
improving the health and well-being of their family, and making friends for
life.
YMCA Healthy Kids Day is generously sponsored nationally by companies
dedicated to improving the health and wellness of American kids and families,
including the Disney Channel, Eli Lilly and Company, Northwestern Mutual
Foundation, and Tropicana. In addition, Kaiser Permanente and Overaa
Construction are local co-sponsors of this free family event.
For more information about YMCA Healthy Kids Day, please call Adrienne
Carew at 925.887.4648 or visit mdrymca.org.
About the Mt. Diablo Region YMCA
The Mt. Diablo Region YMCA has served the greater Contra Costa County area
for 50 years. With four branches, 23 school-age child-care sites at local
elementary schools, and four preschools, the organization is continuing to
grow and expand its network to meet the ever-changing needs of the local
community. The Mt. Diablo Region YMCA provides program services for all age
groups, from toddlers to seniors, to more than 38,000 households. The
organization is dedicated to enriching the lives of all people through
programs that strengthen spirit, mind and body. Financial assistance is
available to all individuals who demonstrate proven need. For more
information, visit mdrymca.org.
SOURCE Mt. Diablo Region YMCA

Adrienne Carew of Mt. Diablo Region YMCA, +1-925-609-9622, acarew@mdrymca.org