HEALTHY U KICKOFF

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HEALTHY U KICKOFF

Healthy U -- New Jersey’s first comprehensive, statewide initiative to combat childhood obesity in an after-school setting, is reaching wider and further with its award-winning curriculum. Initiated in 2008 by The Horizon Foundation for New Jersey, the program has impacted more than 20,000 children ages 5-13 at 400 YMCA sites across New Jersey. With additional support from The Horizon Foundation for New Jersey, this YMCA program will now be expanded to, for the first time, reach pre-school children ages 3-5 and become incorporated into the curriculum of twelve New Jersey public schools. State of New Jersey health and education officials, a celebrity chef, and Healthy U children and their parents will join Horizon BCBSNJ, the New Jersey YMCA State Alliance, and local dignitaries to announce details of this historic expansion.    

With September as National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month, there’s no more appropriate time to bring focus to programs and efforts to combat what has become an obesity epidemic. The Healthy U initiative is designed to prevent childhood obesity through behavior change and educates children on proper nutrition, increased physical activity and strong family involvement. A group of young children will demonstrate this curriculum in action, then they’ll get some tips on healthy snacking.