BRG, YMCA Team Up To Bring Nutrition to Summer Camp

Program reach grows to 700 kids at six local branches

BATON ROUGE, La. – For the second year, Baton Rouge General (BRG) and YMCA of the Capital Area have teamed up to infuse YMCA’s popular summer camps with nutrition and fitness tips.

During 30-45 minute sessions over the course of a week, BRG’s dietitians and fitness team work with the kids on a range of healthy living topics, including building a healthy plate, snacking, and daily activity versus screen time. They’ll also play games that teach the kids about sugary drinks, incorporate ideas for eating out and eating at school, and introduce them to reading nutrition labels.

“In Louisiana, 34% of children ages 10-17 are overweight or obese, which can lead to chronic conditions in adulthood,” said Paul Douglas, BRG’s Vice President of Human Resources and Development. “What we’ve learned is that when you introduce kids to healthy nutrition in a fun, interactive way, they are engaged and excited to learn.”

BRG is leading these summer camp sessions at the following branches: Dow Westside, C.B. Pennington, Baranco Clark, Paula G. Manship, Americana, and Exxon. For details on each branch, visit ymcabr.org. The program began in late June and runs through Aug. 2.

“Providing health and nutrition information to our youth aligns with the YMCA’s areas of focus, especially when it comes to eliminating health disparities in the Capital Area,” said Eddrick Martin, YMCA Executive Director. “It was important to us to not only continue this program but expand it to expose as many kids as possible to healthy living education.”

For more information on BRG’s wellness programs, click here or call (225) 819-1175.

About Baton Rouge General Medical Center
Baton Rouge General Medical Center is the area’s first community hospital with 588 licensed beds between two campuses. Baton Rouge General opened its doors in 1900, and has provided the Greater Baton Rouge community with high-quality healthcare for generations. An accredited teaching hospital since 1991, Baton Rouge General serves as an affiliate of Tulane University School of Medicine, and offers other medical education programs, including a School of Nursing, School of Radiologic Technology, Family Medicine Residency Program, Internal Medicine Residency Program, and Sports Medicine Fellowship Program. For more information, visit BRGeneral.org, find us on Facebook at Facebook.com/BatonRougeGeneral and follow us on Twitter at @BRGeneral.

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