Couch. Potato.  Taken separately, these are two good things. But, put them together?  Not so much!  In the United States, we are on the verge of the perfect storm when it comes to physical inactivity and our kids.  The rise of cell phones, video gaming and streaming has occurred just as physical education in schools has been on the decline.  As a result, our young people are becoming dangerously less active.

Children are less fit.

According to research presented at the American Heart Association’s Scientific Sessions, children today are approximately 15 percent less fit than previous generations.  In this study, researchers analyzed 50 studies on the fitness of kids between 1964 and 2010, which contained data on more than 25 million kids between the ages of 9 and 17 from 28 countries around the world. In the United States, they found that kids’ cardiovascular health fell by an average of 6 percent every decade.

In another study, researchers at Johns Hopkins University monitored the activity levels of more than 12,500 people. In a frightening conclusion, they discovered that “activity levels at the end of adolescence were alarmingly low, and by age 19, they were comparable to 60-year-olds.”

It’s a family affair.

As exercise and healthy eating have fallen by the wayside, our society has seen an increase in childhood obesity and other health related issues.  People who are inactive as children tend to remain inactive as adults, leading to all sorts of early onset health problems like heart disease and diabetes. Because it gets harder to change habits as we get older, it’s imperative that families make an effort to instill healthy habits in their children.  We can do this by being good role models ourselves by eating healthy and remaining active and by creating opportunities for our kids to get active, whether with the family, their friends or on their own.

The FitKids Afterschool Program

At Cornerstone Clubs, we are committed to the health of ENTIRE families by offering programming for all ages. At our Doylestown location, we offer a membership specifically for our youngest community members. Very young children can join our FitKids Morning Program which includes academic and fitness programming for preschool age children. 

We are especially proud of our FitKids Afterschool Program at Cornerstone for kids ages 5 – 12.  Starting in the fall and running through late spring of the following year, our FitKids afterschool program includes a variety of safe, effective and FUN fitness classes for older kids which includes things like:  Funky Fitness, Boot Camp, Game Fun, Jump Rope, GaGa and more!  Our classes are extremely welcoming and run by warm and caring staff – we specialize in helping less active kids who are a little intimidated by other physical activities find their “inner athlete.”

We value our FitKids members just as highly as our grown up members and offer additional discounts throughout the year to things like SummerKids Camp and School’s Out Morning Programs.

For more information about FitKids Afterschool Program at Cornerstone, including registration dates and class times, contact us!