Business & Tech

Fitness Center Targets Childhood Obesity, Allows Younger Members

Centegra Health System's Heath Bridge also continuing Kids in Motion to promote healthy lifestyles.

Centegra HealthBridge is helping combat childhood obesity in McHenry County by lowering its fitness center membership age to 12 years old and continuing its Kids in Motion program.

“Illinois has the fourth-highest childhood obesity rate in the country,” said Matt Carlen, vice president of health and wellness with Centegra Health System. “This new membership aligns with Centegra Health System’s mission to promote wellness in greater McHenry County.”

Statistics show 1 in 5 children in the state struggle with obesity.

Interested in local real estate?Subscribe to Patch's new newsletter to be the first to know about open houses, new listings and more.

Centegra’s fitness centers lowered the membership age from 14 to 12 last month with encouragement from families and physicians concerned about childhood obesity, said Kim Piraino, sales and marketing manager for the Health Bridge fitness center.

The decision was made to promote wellness and physical activity between McHenry County and Kane County youth, she said.

Interested in local real estate?Subscribe to Patch's new newsletter to be the first to know about open houses, new listings and more.

Twelve and 13-year-old members must take an etiquette and safety class to learn how to work safety with fitness equipment, Piraino said.

Centegra has received good feedback since making the change, she said.

“We’ve had a really great response,” she said. “This month we have more than doubled our new membership goals so far. We educated our members before we made the change. A lot of our members really wanted this. We did it for the members and the children in this area.”

Younger members can come and sign up and be a full member without having an adult present, she said. Teens also can take classes offered through Centegra, including tennis, swimming classes, Pilates and fitness coaching.

Standard membership costs apply to teens. Centegra is offering free three-day passes on its website.

Centegra’s new policy goes hand in hand with the Kids in Motion program it launched last fall.

Kids in Motion is an eight-week program designed to help children and their families deal with weigh issues through a multidisciplinary approach using nutrition education, behavioral therapy and physical activity, according to a Centegra press release. Registered dietitians, exercise specialists and behavioral specialists direct the program and work together to offer education and support that will lead to healthier lifestyles, the release stated.

Kids in Motion has three tiers of education ranging in cost from $150 to $400.

Centegra is holding a swim-a-thon to benefit Kids in Motion on June 16. Families enrolled in the program have been getting sponsors for the swim-a-thon, in which at least two people will be in the water from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

“We are very much about when there’s alarming statistics, you know that being the largest health care system, you have to pay attention to it,” Piraino said. “You have to pay attention to it. You have to provide services and programs so you can help improve (the statistics). That’s what we want to do.”


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here