H E A L T H & W E L L N E S S / Fox Chapel Area
Fighting
Childhood Obesity
One Child at a Time
By Heather Holtschlag
Imagine – for the first time in four generations, a
child’s life expectancy may not match his/her parents. One in
10 American children is obese, and between 16 to 25 percent
of children are overweight. Children average a weight of
about nine pounds heavier today when compared to the
1960s, and the average teenager’s weight has increased
by 12 to 16 pounds, according to government
statistics. Beyond the issue of just being overweight
is the risk factors associated with obesity,
including heart disease, certain types of
cancer, and type 2 diabetes.
Fit-Trix Fit Kidz, located in Bethel
Park, is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit
organization that is devoted to
the prevention of childhood
obesity in the western
Pennsylvania region. The
purpose of Fit-Trix Fit
Kidz is to educate children
and parents on the
importance of achieving
and maintaining a healthy
body weight by adopting
increased physical activity
and healthy eating.
“We promote fitness,
proper nutritional habits
and self-esteem in a fun,
positive and safe environment,”
said Lynn Ross, owner of FitTrix Fit Kidz. “Our 45-minute
program provides a full body workout
regardless of fitness ability. We focus on
cardio, hydraulic and resistance training with
kid-friendly equipment, including
BOSU balls, punching bags and agility
ladders.”
Fit-Trix Fit Kidz also encourages
small lifestyle changes that may
provide immediate health benefits for
children, such as lower blood cholesterol levels, increased
independence and productivity and reduced demands for
health care services. And, staff members are committed to
disseminating these healthy lifestyle messages to children of
50 724.942.0940 TO ADVERTISE | Fox Chapel Area
all ages, regardless of their ethnicity or socioeconomic status.
Ross said that the main purpose of Fit-Trix Fit Kidz is to
teach kids that fitness can be fun, so that they can develop a
healthy lifestyle to maintain throughout their entire lives. The
staff members do this by providing a fun and safe
environment where they teach healthy behaviors to
children at young ages, hoping that by doing so,
the children will carry their good habits well into
adulthood.
“At Fit-Trix Fit Kidz, we believe that
exercise and proper nutrition are the
pinnacles of preventing obesity
in children and adolescents,”
Ross explained. “We differ
from other gyms in that
we work by appointment,
which helps make the
children we see to
remain accountable
to their fitness goals
and gives the staff
the opportunity to
work with and get to
know each child on an
individual basis.”
According to Ross,
there are a number of
benefits that can have an
impact on children as they
begin an exercise program.
These include an improved body
mass index (BMI), an increase
in self-esteem, a boost in athletic
performance, increased flexibility and
endurance, and an increase in lung
capacity and fat burning through cardio
exercise.
“Strength conditioning also will
increase a child’s bone density
and improve tendon and ligament
strength,” Ross noted.
For more information about Fit-Trix Fit Kidz, call
412.831.1200, stop by the facility located at 4941 Library Road
in Bethel Park, or visit the website at www.fittrix.org.