The Loop

Turning fitness into a game

August 20, 2014

I was encouraged over this past weekend to see so many kids out on my local golf course. But what left a sour note was how many of them were riding in a golf cart. You can blame McDonald's, video games, poverty or poor parenting, but the undeniable fact is that children in the U.S. have gotten fatter and are less active. I realize that sounds like a sweeping generalization—and a harsh statement—but here is what the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has to say about it:

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So what can be done about it? For starters, kids need to move more. If your child needs some motivation in this department, you might want to look into getting a new fitness board game called Flip2BFit. The concept is unique, simple and genius. While kids are playing this board game, they're asked to do simple exercises like crab crawls and squat thrusts in order to win. They're also given important information on nutrition. The game is the brainchild of Heather Parisi and has been endorsed by a number of parenting organizations. Cost is $35 and can be purchased at flip2bfit.com.

Ron Kaspriske is the fitness editor of Golf Digest.