Summer is just around the corner, and if you're looking for activities for your kids, why not choose something to help them be healthy?
The YMCA of Austin's MEND program – which stands for mind, exercise, nutrition, do it – has been around for five years giving kids new weapons in the fight against obesity.
"Bad options are still out there, so it's all about getting educated about making the right choices,” Jimmy Cunalata with the YMCA of Austin said.
The 10-week session focuses on kids learning to eat right and exercise as well as lead a healthier life at home. It can also be intimidating at first, which is why the YMCA requires parents to attend.
"A child from 7-13 can't do it alone. They need that background and support structure from their families,” Cunalata said. "You're not gonna be alone in this program. You know, in this program, even within our instructors, a lot of them have been through the same challenges as everyone else."
Some of Dell Children's Medical Center Dr. Stephen Pont's patients have participated in MEND. He commends the program but says there's still work that needs to be done.
"We still have many communities here in Austin, particularly those that are economically challenged where childhood obesity still is a very real and present danger,” Pont said. "I think programs like MEND can play a critical role to help empower families to live healthier lives. However, we also have to work at the policy level to make being healthy easier for everybody."
Still, it's a step to the right direction. MEND is free to anyone who signs up, thanks to a $1 million grant from the St. David's Foundation.
"As a community, we'll get better,” Cunalata said.
The work doesn't end after the 10-week session. MEND participants get sports and gym passes to the YMCA after completing the program.
The next session starts June 13. To sign up, click here.