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Taking 'Step Challenge'
 Participants in the girls’ under 4 100-yard dash are off and running during Saturday’s inaugural Rabbit Ramble on the grounds of the Wrentham Developmental Center. The event was held by the King Philip Sports Boosters Club to raise money for scholarships for seniors, and included a series of children’s races. (Staff photo by TOM MAGUIRE)
Top Headlines More than 900 city fourth- and fifth-graders will don pedometers over the next four weeks to see which class can compile the most steps during that time. The annual school challenge, which began three years ago, is part of a comprehensive effort to encourage school children to exercise more and eat healthier as part of the fight against youth obesity. For the first time this year, adults also will have a chance to show their commitment to healthy exercise and provide positive role models for kids by taking part in their own step challenge. A total of 1,012 adult walkers representing six local businesses and nonprofits have signed up as part of teams who will compete to determine who can compile the highest average step count. Businesses join the effort Participants include Richardson-Cuddy Insurance, Nelson Family Dental, Sensata Technologies, Sturdy Memorial Hospital, The Literacy Center and the faculty at Brennan Middle School. The winning company will receive the Mayor's Step Challenge Cup awarded by Mayor Kevin Dumas. The step challenge will conclude at the YMCA's annual Healthy Kids Day Celebration May 5 at Balfour Riverwalk Park. Last year, about 1,000 elementary and middle school children averaged about five miles a day of walking during the challenge, according to Attleboro YMCA youth fitness specialist Ed Poirier. Activities to begin Monday Poirier said the annual step challenge complements a wide range of other Activate Attleboro initiatives - including school-based healthy diet programs, after-school activities, a physical activity club for at-risk teens and a healthy snack promotion in partnership with a local supermarket. Step Challenge activities will kick off Monday for adult participants, and Monday and Tuesday at each of eight city schools. Activate Attleboro is a citywide coalition that includes the YMCA, Attleboro Public Schools, health-care providers, businesses and non-profits. The objective of the group, said YMCA Director Duane German, is to build a new generation of healthy children who in turn will be able to foster greater health-consciousness in future generations. Obesity and overweight have reached crisis proportions across America, many health experts assert, with an estimated 66 percent of all Americans classified as overweight or obese. Obesity also contributes to a wide variety of chronic illnesses, such as diabetes and heart and liver disease. So serious is the crisis that medical costs related to illnesses linked to obesity has now reached an estimated $127 billion a year, driving up health insurance premiums and sapping worker productivity. RICK FOSTER can be reached at 508-236-0360 or at rfoster@thesunchronicle.com.
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