Childhood obesity is a giant problem across the nation – one in three children and teens in the U.S. is overweight or obese, which is nearly triple the rate in 1963, according to the American Heart Association.
Today, a San Francisco Giant is addressing the problem by educating youth in the Latino community about making healthier lifestyle choices.
The baseball team’s third baseman Pablo “Kung Fu Panda” Sandoval, so-named for his resemblance to the portly animated protagonist of the eponymous 2008 film, will be leading a bilingual question and answer session with about 80 kids this morning at San Francisco’s Mission Cultural Center.
The heart-healthy workshop, hosted by the American Heart Association, will feature a game of Nutrition Jeopardy! and hands-on activities designed by the association with assistance from the cultural center.
Activity stations include Salsa and Capoeira lessons, along with informational sessions to educate the Latino youth about fats and sugars, how the heart functions and how to keep their tickers in tip-top shape.
According to the American Heart Association, childhood obesity can be reversed or avoided if families make lifestyle changes such as eating better and participating in regular physical activity together.
The workshop will take place from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Mission Cultural Center at 2868 Mission St. in San Francisco.
