Mississippi Baptist Medical Center and Mississippi Children’s Museum hosted 120 kindergartners for a free Fit for Fun class. Baptist Healthplex Fitness Instructor Dwanda Moore led the class, which teaches participants about nutrition, fitness and movement.
“We know overweight and obesity are serious health concerns for children and adults in Hinds County,” said Caitlin Hayden, community relations coordinator for Mississippi Baptist Medical Center. “These issues can affect the long-term health of our children. But through our Fit for Fun partnership with Mississippi Children’s Museum, we hope to teach our children healthy habits at a young age that they will continue to practice throughout their lifetime.”
Mississippi Baptist Medical Center has sponsored the Fit for Fun program since 2018. The weekly, hour-long program is typically held at the Mississippi Children’s Museum on Wednesdays at 3:30 p.m. and educates students about healthy eating habits and fitness through engaging and fun activities.
“This is an important partnership and program for Mississippi children,” said Sheri Bradford, assistant director of enrichment for Mississippi Children’s Museum. “The knowledge and skills students learn today can affect their long-term health and cognitive growth. We want to encourage positive behaviors and support the physical and emotional well-being of Mississippi’s children.”
According to the Mississippi Department of Education’s Office of Healthy Schools, 40 percent of Mississippi children are overweight or obese, which contributes to major chronic diseases, such as heart disease, diabetes and certain cancers. It is also believed that overweight children miss more school days, demonstrate lower academic performance, and have an 80 percent chance of becoming overweight or obese adults. For more information about the Fit for Fun program, please visit https://mschildrensmuseum.org/events/event/fitforfun/.
