Health Initiative Combating Childhood Obesity Finishes First Year in Arlington Heights

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, IL — A local health initiative working to combat childhood obesity begins its second year in Arlington Heights with hopes of attracting more community partners to the effort, the group announced at a park district board of commissioners meeting on Tuesday night.

Arlington Heights was selected in 2015 as one of three study sites across the U.S. for the Healthy Communities Surveillance and Management Project. The park district contributes $15,000 annually to the study, which works on improving the health and fitness levels of children ages 10 to 15, The Chicago Tribune reports.

The Healthy Communities Surveillance and Management Project focuses on children in this age group because they're just starting to become more independent in their lifestyle choices. Studies show that children who are overweight or obese during this time are 80 percent more likely to struggle with the same issues as adults.

The park district, Arlington Heights Memorial Library, local school districts, Northwest Community Hospital, and other organizations partnered to form the new Arlington Heights Health Action Alliance during the project's first year in Arlington Heights, according to The Chicago Tribune.

In the project's second year, officials hope to recruit more local organizations. They also plan to conduct a complete inventory and level of service analysis for all park district facilities, parks, trails, and programs.

The Chicago Tribune reported that project officials announced the highlights from the first year of the Healthy Communities Surveillance and Management Project in Arlington Heights, including:

• A series of Fit Kids classes were started, geared toward kids between the ages of 4-12
• The park district established sponsorships with Northwest Community Healthcare for community events and the Youth Soccer Program
• The park district incorporated healthy snacks into its preschool program
• The Youth Nutrition program was introduced to about 900 middle school students to promote better nutritional habits

Officials want to continue to inform the community about the project's mission, even more this year than they did the previous year. The project is a three-year commitment to Arlington Heights.

Photo courtesy of guilherme jofili/Flickr