FITNESS AND FUN IN THE SUN

Butte County, CA. - It’s summer time and that means fun in the sun! Aim for 60 minutes a day of active play with your family this summer. The beautiful outdoor surroundings of Butte County provide a wonderful environment for children to have fun and explore while building the foundation to a healthy, active lifestyle.

The health benefits of physical activity are tremendous. Prevent diabetes, high cholesterol and high blood pressure – conditions that are beginning to be seen in children. Regular physical activity is proven to reduce the risk of developing such conditions. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that one in three children born in the year 2000 are likely to develop Type 2 diabetes. Don’t let your child be a statistic!

Physical activity benefits more than your child’s physical health, it also enhances learning. Current research confirms that the physical activity of young children is an important component of early brain development and learning. The California Department of Education recently announced a link between physical activity and test scores. Children who were physically active on a most days of the week achieved higher scores. Even as early as infancy, you can provide an environment that grooms an active child.

You can take the 60-minute/day challenge by making it a point to include active play into your family’s daily routine.

OPT for Fit Kids, a program funded by the Butte County Children and Families Commission, aims to decrease the incidence of childhood obesity. Staffed by Registered Dietitians, Nutrition Educators, and Exercise Physiologists, OPT for Fit Kids provides free individual and small group nutrition and physical activity services for Butte County families and providers of children ages 0-5. If you would like more information, please call (530) 345-0678 or visit the website at www.optfotfitkids.org.

The Butte County Children & Families Commission was established following a voter-passed initiative in November 1998 and uses tobacco tax revenue to fund education, health, child abuse prevention, child care and other programs intended to promote early childhood development for expectant parents and children through age 5. For more information about local programs improving the lives of children and families in Butte County, please contact First 5 at: (530) 538-7964 or visit us on the Web at: www.buttecounty.net/bccfc.

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