United Way is especially focusing on childhood obesity. A third of Texas school children are overweight or obese. An obese adolescent has an 80 percent chance of becoming an obese adult.

United Way is currently working with local school districts and other organizations to

·         Teach parents and children how to include good nutrition and physical activity in their lives.

·         Support activity programs that parents and children can enjoy together. (An estimated 35,000 Tarrant County households with children report that their children do not get 30 minutes of exercise a day, according to United Way’s 2005 community assessment.)

·         Encourage school district policies that promote good nutrition and activity during the school day.

·         Provide pediatricians and other health professionals with the latest information on the risk factors and complications of childhood obesity, along with ways to prevent and treat it.

As part of its childhood obesity efforts, United Way is working with students, families and staff of Mitchell Boulevard Elementary School in Southeast Fort Worth to decrease the number of overweight and obese third graders. The three-year project combines exercise and nutrition education. In Southeast Fort Worth, 71 percent of the residents are overweight or obese.

United Way also was the major sponsor of FitFuture Kids Fest, a free communitywide festival that showcased simple ways families can fit nutritious eating and physical activity into their daily lives. More than 2,100 children and adults enjoyed an afternoon of jumping rope, hula-hooping, step-dancing, healthy cooking demonstrations, yoga, fencing, taekwondo, rock-wall climbing, salsa dancing and other attractions.