What Is “Healthy Start Hampton Roads?”
The Junior League Norfolk -Virginia Beach, Inc. (JLNVB) and its Community Partner Network hosted the Healthy Start Hampton Roads event on September 12, 2009. This event supported JLNVB’s Healthy Kids Initiative of developing healthy diets, bodies and minds of local children. Healthy Start Hampton Roads is designed to create a concentrated and passionate following of parents, educators, and children and equip them with the resources and education to promote a lifestyle centered on health and wellness.
Awareness
For the short-term, the JLNVB is highlighting the epidemic of childhood obesity to bring awareness about the issue. Key statistics include:
- 16% of America’s children are obese and another 17% are overweight
- Obese children are more likely to become obese as adults
- Virginia’s escalating obesity rates: 1990 = 10%-14%, 1998 = 15%-19%, 2007 = 20-24%
- The medical cost of obesity-related problems like diabetes, stroke, and heart disease are $140 billion (6% of all health care costs)
- This generation will be the first in history to live shorter lives than their parents
Audience and Attendance
The primary target audience for Healthy Start Hampton Roads was Hampton Roads families with school-aged children from the cities of Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Chesapeake, Portsmouth, and Suffolk. There are currently 175,390 school-aged children in the five cities.The secondary target audience was educators, school boards, PTAs and physical education departments of local schools.
Special Thanks
A special thanks goes out to our Community Partner Network. Without your support, the JLNVB would not be as able to impact the lives of women and children in our community in such a positive way. THANK YOU!
