Martial Arts Studio Fights Obesity, Collects Candy for Troops

by Renard Beaty

Kick Start Martial Arts of Grant Park is helping kids fight childhood obesity by providing a healthy choice to eating candy while supporting our troops. Why is Kick Start Martial Arts concerned about childhood obesity?
The CDC has reported:

• Childhood obesity has more than doubled in children and tripled in adolescents in the past 30 years.
• The percentage of children aged 6–11 years in the United States who were obese increased from 7 percent in 1980 to nearly 18 percent in 2010. Similarly, the percentage of adolescents aged 12–19 years who were obese increased from 5 percent to 18 percent over the same period.
• Overweight and obesity are the result of “caloric imbalance”—too few calories expended for the amount of calories consumed—and are affected by various genetic, behavioral, and environmental factors.

As parents, we are the guardians of our children's habits. We are their first role models, they look up to us to be the example, and so it's up to us to set a good example. Healthy choices involve healthy foods and exercise. By making your health a priority, your kids will pick up on it and aspire to be just like you.

We need to guide them into making healthy fun choices.

Kick Start Martial Arts would like to help parents. Parents should encourage their child, age 5 and older, to trade in their bag of Halloween candy for four free karate lessons. The candy may be dropped off at 290 Martin Luther king Jr. Dr., SE, Bldg. A14. The drop off time is 6:00pm to 6:45pm, Nov. 1. Contact me for more details at 404.664.3485 or visit the website, www.kickstartatl.com. All candy collected will be donated to our troops.