The business, sports and health community joined together for a very special healthy awareness clinic as the Houston Dynamo's staged a basic soccer skills clinic for children who participated in BG Group’s BG Be Fit program and for their siblings, ages 5 to 13, at the Houston Texans YMCA. This program was staged in partnership with the Houston Texans YMCA, and Building on the MEND.
Who are the players?
BG Be Fit is an innovative program sponsored by the BG Group, that is designed to teach Houston area families how to live and eat healthier. David Keane, Vice President of Policy and Corporate Affairs for BG Group says they are proud of this project in which, “Children are learning the value of exercise and healthy eating – lifestyle choices that will pay dividends now and in the future.”
MEND is (Mind, Energy, Nutrition, Do it!) a 10 week comprehensive curriculum, family-based program to help overweight children ages 7 to 13 improve their health, fitness and self-esteem administered by Drs. Sarah Barlow and Nancy Butte from Texas Children’s Hospital, USDA/ARS (Agriculture Research Service) Children’s Nutrition Research Center (CNRC) and Baylor College of Medicine (BCM).
Participation also provided by the Houston Dynamos and Houston Texan's YMCA.
What is the BG Group Be Fit program?
The program is coordinated by Texas Children’s and the CNRC, and specifically shows families how to make the right food choices by setting nutrition targets, showing recommended portion sizes and helping participants understand food labels. Children and their families learn firsthand that healthy food can taste great. Children enjoy an hour twice a week of fun activity and sports skill-building, while parents meet for more information and to share successes and challenges.
This year's program was even more successful, with the inclusion and addition of the Houston Dynamo's soccer and by providing YMCA family memberships for one year to each participating family, enrollment fees for YMCA youth sports for the children, a Fabulous Food Fest where children and their caregivers learn about healthy food choices they can prepare at home and a group reward that reinforces the behavior modification techniques taught through the program,” said Dr. Sarah Barlow, director of Texas Children’s Center for Childhood Obesity, all thanks to the generous support of the BG Group.
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