Childhood obesity is on the rise across the nation and it's a problem we face right here at home.
On Saturday, the two rivers YMCA in Moline invited some kids and their parents to learn ways of making healthy habits a way of life.
Personal trainer Jamie Schoemaker and nutritionist Becky Stevens are trying to put a stop to the obesity epidemic.
"Children becoming heavier and heavier and sicker and sicker earlier and earlier," said Stevens.
According to last year's community health assessment, 72 percent of people in the Quad Cities are overweight and so are 39 percent of our kids.
We're higher than the national average in both categories.
"We want to get the kids excited about exercise and excited about eating better and making better choices when it comes when it comes to a healthy lifestyle,” said Shoemaker.
Schoemaker and Stevens collaborated to create a program not just about exercise, but a healthy lifestyle.
"Get them thinking about what food is rather than just opening up a bag," she said.
Although the kids are perfectly healthy, the lessons they'll be learning in the next 10 weeks could help them keep it up for the rest of their lives.
"It’s good to start young you know they're forming their habits now as opposed to waiting until there's a problem"
“Kids they're so involved with computers and video games and not outside playing like we were when we were growing up"
To join the program, contact the Two Rivers YMCA in Moline at (309) 797-3945 and ask for the Youth Fitness Solution class or go to http://www.tworiversymca.org/documents/YouthWSp2013.pdf