Trim Kids

Trim Kids, designed with busy families in mind, is a multidisciplinary program that introduces parents and their children to lifetime weight management skills. Each week parents and their children learn fun and new ways to increase their daily activity while practicing achievable eating goals. Our mission is to help you learn new, positive ways of encouraging your entire family to make healthier lifestyle choices.

Upcoming Sessions:

YMCA Healthy Living Center, 12493 University Avenue, Clive
Day:     Mondays
Dates: September 27 - December 20
Time:   6:15-7:45 p.m.
Fees: $30 for the session.

Riverfront YMCA, 101 Locust Street, Des Moines
Day:     Tuesdays
Dates:  September 28 - December 21
Time:   6:15 p.m. - 7:45 p.m.
Fee:     $30 for the session

For more information please contact the Melissa Foley at melissa.foley@dmymca.org.

Components:

Nutrition Education: Licensed dietitians educate families on the food pyramid guidelines, proper portion sizes, daily caloric intake, reading and understanding food labels, meal planning, food substitutions
Physical Activity: Expert staff instructs participants through various types of physical activity which include but are not limited to:flexibility exercises, strengthening exercises, cardiovascular exercises, active games for the families.
Behavior Modification: Eating at the table, decreasing screen time, relaxation methods, and increasing self-esteem can help develop healthy habits. Childlife Specialists from Mercy Children's Center assist families with goal setting and individual needs.
Family involved program: At least one parent/guardian must attend with their child. This allows both the parent and child to receive the information presented.

Current Statistics:

To date, 339 children have participated in Trim Kids resulting in a loss of 985.3 pounds.
To date, over 76% of children participating in the program have lowered their Body Mass Index (BMI.)

To qualify for the program, the child must be overweight or at risk for becoming overweight which is determined by the Body Mass Index. Do you know your child's BMI?

The Center for Disease Control defines Body Mass Index (BMI) as: a number calculated from a child's weight and height. BMI is a reliable indicator of body fatness for most children and teens. Although it does not show directly measure body fat, it does provide an easy method to perform screening for weight categories that may cause health issues.

Click here for more information about BMI.

A special thanks to all our sponsors for their continued support: