KARE-TV - Twin Cities program fighting childhood obesity

Twin Cities program fighting childhood obesity


MINNEAPOLIS -- Nearly one in three children in the United States is now considered overweight or obese according to government statistics. First Lady Michelle Obama is leading the White House Task Force on Childhood Obesity to combat the problem.
One local program has the same goal.

It's called Youth Determined to Succeed (YDS) and its founder, Melvin Anderson, says there's no other program like it in the U.S.

Alfred Hartwell III of Minneapolis is a participant in YDS. He said he has lost 20 pounds during this school year and, "I run faster, quicker."

This ninth grader at Hopkins Junior High North has also lost three inches off his waist.

Hartwell said, "After I figured out I lost all that weight I was like, 'OK. I want to join the track team.' I have more self esteem now."

He credits YDS, which was founded a decade ago by Anderson.

Anderson, a former University of Minnesota football player, said of the kids in his program, "They gain a knowledge and awareness of healthy lifestyles not just from a health aspect but a social and mental health aspect."

YDS is run primarily out of the North Community YMCA in Minneapolis and is for youth in elementary to high school.

Anderson said there's no other program like YDS in the country. He said, "What makes it unique is that we have the continuum of opportunity."

Instead of a twelve-week program that wishes a kid good luck at the end, Anderson said YDS works with kids year round, year after year, and not only on fitness but on leadership skills as well. So not only do the participants do drills, track and field events and even yoga, they also become leaders by holding blood drives, volunteering to bag groceries for those who live in senior high rises and more. That has paid off in other ways.

Anderson said, "Over the last ten years we've had 100% of our kids graduate high school and 90% go to college."

A staff of volunteers helps run the program, including a pediatrician, dieticians and a yoga instructor.

As for the yoga, Hartwell said, "Yea, yoga oh my goodness. We did yoga. It was like so hard. But now I'm more flexible."

Anderson says kids in YDS also increase their cardio capacity 300%.

When it comes to running, Hartwell has improved and said, "We started off five minutes and now I can do 15 minutes of running without stopping."

Anderson said Hartwell's entire family eats healthier meals now because of Alfred's involvement in YDS.

Hartwell has a number of successes to count. He said, "I've been telling a lot of my friends about it. How does it make me feel? Happy!"

Anderson said Youth Determined to Succeed can cost a participant up to four-hundred dollars but that amount can be reduced depending on how much a participant's parent volunteers.

To find out more about YDS, call 612-486-6730 or click on the link above.

Website address: http://www.kare11.com/news/news_article.aspx?storyid=851163