Minority Youth Fight Childhood Obesity With New Zumba Video
The Alliance for a Healthier Generation is helping kids get fit in fun way. They recently produced a new workout video series called Fit for a Healthier Generation, which features minority youth as Zumba instructors.
Meet Maliah and Anaya Grant. The dynamic duo teaches their own Zumba class for children. Enthusiastically dancing to upbeat songs like Ghost Busters and Soul Sista, the kids inspire other kids to get up and participate in a fun workout routine. Videos like these are great tools in communities where children may have less access to recreational activities.
Studies show that kids just aren’t as active as they used to be. It takes them 90 seconds longer to run a mile than it did 30 years ago, NPR reported. Many of them would rather play on their iPads and iPhones than run outside. With childhood obesity rates still at a high of 18 percent, children need more encouragement to stay active, especially in black and Latino communities, where childhood obesity rates are disproportionately higher.
Currently, 22.4 percent of Hispanic children and 20.2 percent of black children are obese, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Childhood obesity causes many health problems down the line, besides simply leading to obesity as an adult. It also increases risk of developing heart disease, diabetes, and some cancers. The alliance’s video series is among many new initiatives to fight childhood obesity. On their website, they talk about healthy snacks and meals for children, and provide new research to educate parents about the epidemic.