Sadly, 25 percent of the youth in South King County are overweight or obese, which is a much higher rate than the rest of the county. I’m writing to express my joy in the fact that Renton, my hometown, was among one of the seven cities to receive a $100,000 King County Youth Sports Facilities Grant to provide outdoor fitness equipment in local parks.

Obesity is a huge problem in America and it saddens me such a large part of the county where I grew up is struggling. According to Public Health, childhood obesity can lead to high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and breathing and joint problems, among other serious conditions. It’s more likely that these children will grow up to become obese adults and be at an increased risk for serious health conditions.

I’m a student at Whitworth University in Spokane and I’m studying health science so I can recognize and appreciate this step toward prevention of childhood obesity. Hopefully this fitness equipment will encourage children, teens, and parents towards living a healthy lifestyle, which includes physical activity.

My hope is that this preventive step doesn’t go unnoticed by our community and if this action proves even just a little bit successful in combating this issue, I would love to see it implemented in parks across America. I think every step toward making a healthier America, whether big or small, is a win in my book.

Paige Berdan,
Renton/Spokane