A Smarter Student

“Thank you to everyone who made this program possible. Because of this program my family and my life have changed. When the program first started, I wasn’t really very interested in it; I wanted the membership to go swimming. But I looked at all of the classes and realized it was much more than that. I learned a lot of nutrition facts that I didn’t know. Ever since I stepped into this class, my family and I have been having home-cooked meals for the past two months. I even have started opening up the recipe book to make things myself, and they are much better than McDonald’s. To all the kids out there, McDonald’s isn’t all that great.” ~Student from YMCA FIT for Health Class

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), childhood obesity and overweight are well recognized as a major health problem in the United States. It's an epidemic that particularly affects poor and underserved populations.

In a 2007 city-wide health needs analysis it was learned that 68.6 of adults in Irving are overweight—and nearly one-third of those adults are considered obese. The child population in Irving mirrors the adults, with school nurses confirming that up to 80 percent of children in local schools as being overweight, obese or morbidly obese.

Irving Healthcare Foundation has brought together UT Southwestern Medical School students, Irving’s public schools, Parkland’s Irving Health Center, Baylor Medical Center at Irving, Irving’s YMCA, the City of Irving to work together in addressing childhood obesity in Irving under the name Childhood Obesity Task Force (COTF).

The COTF currently is focused on two programs that address childhood and family obesity in Irving. The goal is to develop a program that can be replicated in any community.

The overall need is $22,000 to fund these projects that address childhood obesity with both children and their parents.  To help, please donate today. For more information, contact John Drake at 972-579-4391 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .