The New Jersey YMCA State Alliance has been designated to lead the State Program Office for the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s New Jersey childhood obesity prevention program, New Jersey Partnership for Healthy Kids. The 4-year initiative will focus on building and strengthening childhood obesity prevention activities in Trenton, Camden, Newark, Vineland and New Brunswick.

 

"We’ve all heard the statistics, and they are alarming,” said NJ YMCA Alliance Executive Director Gary Graham.  "But it’s the scale of the problem that has gotten the attention of the White House.  Direct health expenses for obese and overweight children are upwards of $14 billion per year.  The annual cost of adult obesity is estimated at $147 billion when you factor in lost productivity.”

 

"When communities have affordable healthy foods and safe places to play and exercise, children are healthier,” continued Graham.  "It’s that simple, and it’s that critical.”

 

"Addressing obesity in Camden is much more complex than it would be in our suburban communities,” said Y CEO Tim Kerrihard.  ”Almost 40% of Camden’s children are considered obese, with 44% of families living below the federal poverty level.  A high percentage of Camden children receive two meals per day at school through the subsidized free and reduced lunch program. Unfortunately, cost drives the menu and energy-dense foods with little or no nutritional value dominate the menus at schools.” 

 

In Camden, the Y is working with Campbell Soup Company, the United Way, Cooper Hospital and UMDNJ, among others.  These organizations have come together to develop strategies to address the issue.  The Camden Partnership is currently launching an 8-month planning process, which will be followed by a 2-year implementation period.

 

"We will build a plan and then learn as we go,” adds Kerrihard.  "To maximize impact and reach children, we will focus most of our efforts around schools and daycares. If we can ensure that kids are getting healthier foods at school while increasing the frequency, intensity and duration of physical activity, we can bend the curve.”

"Everyone has a role to play in preventing and reversing childhood obesity,” adds Graham.  "The Y is uniquely positioned to reach multiple stakeholders with this message.  If anyone can impact this issue across the state, the Y can do it.”

 

The overall goal is to reverse the childhood obesity epidemic by the year 2015.
For more information, please contact Tim Kerrihard at 856-234-6200 x201 or timk@ymca-bc.org