Baltimore Helps Tweens Fight Obesity

Kids spend a staggering 5.5 hours playing or watching some sort of media according to the state of Maryland. Organizations such as the NFL and the National Dairy Council have teamed up to combat this alarming statistic by promoting physical activity in schools. Fuel Up to Play 60 is open to area schools in Baltimore City, Baltimore County, Howard County, as well as nationwide. Go to Fuel Up to Play 60 to find out how your tween's school can participate. Kids, tweens, and teens can use the Fuel Up to Play 60 site to track their eating habits and physical activity.

Baltimore's children are in the thick of the nation’s childhood obesity crisis due to lack of physical activity and poor eating habits. According to Healthy Baltimore Children, 37% of Baltimore City public high school students have been identified as overweight or at risk of overweight.

Middle schools and elementary schools are not exempt from this growing trend. A visit to any middle school or elementary school in the Baltimore area, will reveal overweight tweens. According to data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the number of overweight children and teens continues to increase in the United States. Today's 6- through 11-year-olds are 15% more overweight than their counterparts 20 years ago.

Baltimore moved towards tackling the health challenges facing its kids by convening a community summit in 2008. Sponsored by Associated Black Charities and the Association of Baltimore Area Grantmakers, the summit addressed childhood obesity prevention efforts in Baltimore. In 2009, both groups hammered out the Baltimore Blueprint for Healthy Outcomes in Children: Addressing Childhood Obesity. This report highlighted factors leading to childhood obesity and promoted practices to increase the availability of healthy, affordable foods and physical activity.

With over 35% of Baltimore’s children living in poverty, change is needed now. Poor living conditions plus a lack of adequate play space coupled with limited health eating options has led to weight gain in tweens, as well as kids and teens.

The state of Maryland weighed in with its Maryland Nutrition and Physical Activity Plan. This plan mirrors what many Baltimore area families are striving for in their homes: limiting TV/screen viewing time for kids, tweens, and teens; serving more fruits and vegetables each day; and increasing physical activity.

Health Alert: Exercise and Diabetes

At any age, exercise is a key component on the road to good health. From the toddler playing on the playground to the tween whacking a field hockey ball to the parent exercising at the gym even though tired after a day with kids, exercise is key. Now, add in the challenge of having diabetes and exercise bcomes one of the best things that you can do for yourself.

Why exercise? The following tips apply to those with diabetes but are applicable to anyone.

• Keeps you at a healthy weight by burning calories.
• Improves your ability to lose weight and keep it off.
• Improves how your body responds to insulin.
• With exercise, you may be able to reduce your need for diabetes meds through lowered blood glucose levels.
• Lowers risk for heart disease and stroke.
• Lowers cholesterol and blod pressure.
• Improves circulation.

How to get started? Found these tips in a brochure about the American Diabetes Association's Obesity Initiative.

• Set an exercise schedule -- and keep it.
• Find an exercise partner.
• Buy a pedometer to record your steps each day.
• Vary your exercise routine.
• Set goals.
• Drink water or other calorie-free fluids.
• Go outside to walk, run, or even rake leaves!

For more information:

• Weight Loss Matters Tip Sheets from the American Diabetes Association
• Visit diabetes.org.
• Call 1-800-DIABETES or email AskADA@diabetes.org
• Buy Type 2 Diabetes for Beginners from shopdiabetes.org
• Read about American Diabetes Association

If you think you might be at risk for Type 2 Diabetes, take this test at diabetes.org.

Note: You can also purchase the Type 2 Diabetes for Beginners through my amazon link.

Spiritual Resources: St. Michael's Catholic Church, Poplar Springs, MD

St. Michael's Catholic Church

Located in Howard County but servicing parishioners in thr tri-county area of Howard, Frederick, and Carroll, St. Michaels Catholic Church is a sprawling parish of some 1,000 families. St. Michaels sits at the intersection of St. Michaels Road and Hardy Road in the historic town of Poplar Springs. The mailing address of the church is 1125 St. Michaels Road, Mt. Airy, 21771.

St. Michaels was founded in 1879 when a mysterious man asked a Howard County resident for the use of his home to say Mass. The homeowner -- Mr. Lilbourne P. Kuhn -- who owned the land on what is now Hardy Road and St. Michaels Road, though not a Catholic, agreed to allow Mass to be said at his home. Although the mysterious Catholic priest was never heard from again after dining one night with the Kuhn family, Mr. Kuhn advertised that Mass would be said the next Sunday.

On two successive Sundays, 20 Catholics gathered, but the mysterious priest never returned. Mr. Kuhn contacted the bishop to see if a priest could be found to minister to this small "flock." A priest was dispatched to the home of Mr. Kuhn.

After Mr. Kuhn donated the land where the "small" church and cemetery are located, a cornerstone was laid on June 12, 1880. The first Mass was celebrated in October 1880.

In 1882, St. Michaels became a mission church of St. Josephs in Sykesville.

In 1964, after 82 years of being a mission church, the Archbishop of Baltimore established St. Michaels as a separate church. In 1966, the rectory was built and land was donated to the church. In 1974, a multipurpose building was erected on the land at the intersection of St. Michaels Road and Hardy Road. In 1979, St. Michaels celebrated 100 years as a parish.

And finally in 1982 the new church was opened where the new multipurpose building was located.

To learn more about St. Michaels Catholic Church in Poplar Springs, MD, click here.

Want to donate to St. Michael's? To sign up for online giving, visit our website at www.stmichaelspoplarsprings.org and click "online giving" to get started, or call the parish office at 410-489-7667.