Addressing the childhood obesity epidemic: The Healthy Bodies and Healthy Minds project.

The incidence of childhood obesity is increasing at an alarming rate in many industrialized and developing societies. Childhood obesity has been found to have a detrimental effect on many aspects of children's development. The Healthy Bodies and Healthy Minds research project was created with the goal of battling childhood obesity by providing school-age children with: a) information about proper nutrition, b) tools with which they can make healthier food choices, c) an increased awareness of the importance of exercise for sustaining good health, and d) the experience of exercise as an engaging activity that is accessible to all children (regardless of their weight). Data collected from the first year of the project suggest that children participating in the project increased: a) their level of understanding of nutritional information for all food groups, and b) their ability to make healthier food choices.