Center for Healthy Children

The Center for Healthy Children is a free program where children struggling with obesity learn how to live an active & healthy lifestyle.

Childhood obesity is a serious and real problem in northeast Arkansas. The definition of Childhood obesity is a body mass index in the 95th percentile or higher for their age group. Body mass index (BMI) measures how heavy a child weighs compared to their height. Good health is associated with a percentile score of 5-85% and reflects a lower risk of disease onset. The obese classification or 95th percentile is associated with elevated risks for developing poor health later in life, if not already present. If interventions are presented and followed by the child and family, disease risks can be reduced. The goal of Center for Healthy Children is to be that intervention.

Obesity results from too many calories and not enough movement. Center for Healthy Children looks to provide solutions to this problem for kids with its free after school program. Through weekly exercise and nutrition classes, this 12 week program, offered in both the spring and fall as well as a shorter six week program in the summer, provides a needed outlet to equip kids with the skills to overcome obesity.

Children must be between 8 to 12 years of age to participate. Any teenagers interested in an exercise program should email William Oliver at Will.OliverIII@BMHCC.org and inquire about the Center for Healthy Teens.

Center for Healthy Children is one of the six programs of the NEA Baptist Charitable Foundation and is funded through memorials, honorariums, and generous gifts from the community and NEA Baptist employees.