5K Walk/Run at GA State Univ. to Promote Wellness & Prevent Childhood Obesity

ATLANTA - May 18, 2016 - PRLog -- Physical activity and regular exercise are known to provide health advantages for everyone. Many communities have high populations of people who suffer from hypertension and diabetes because of poor eating habits and lack of exercise. Over the last 20 years, there's been a significant increase in obesity in the United States. About one-third of U.S. adults (33.8%) are obese and approximately 17% (or 12.5 million) of children and adolescents (aged 2-19 years) are obese according to the Centers for Disease Control.

Today, in an on-going effort to impact the statistics of children suffering from obesity, Live Healthy & Thrive Youth Foundation announced the 6th Annual Unite for Healthy Kids 5K Walk & Run at Georgia State University Perimeter College in Decatur on Satuday, May 21.

The 5K event will begin at 9 a.m. in parking lot 3 of the GSU Perimeter College Decatur campus and end at approximately 11:30 a.m. Participants may register on-line for a fee of $30 which includes a souvenir T-shirt, gift bag and complimentary healthy snacks and beverages. Runners also have the opportunity to enter a drawing for a gift baskket including a Fit Bit,  fitness gear items and Atlanta Braves home game tickets.

Live Healthy & Thrive Youth Foundation strives to get families engaged in fitness as a family unit by educating them on the many advantages of wellness along with the President's Council for Fitness, Sports & Nutrition; a national initiative to encourage people to have active lifestyles and eat healthy foods.

Participants of the 5K are encouraged to monitor their wellness activities using a FitBit to track their progress. Local running store Phidippides has partnered with LHTYF to provide gift cards to the 1st, 2nd and 3rd place runners in the 5K.

The Atlanta Braves have partnered with Live Healthy & Thrive Youth Foundation for the 6th year in a row to offer free home games tickets compliments of the "Reach Out Be Our Guest" program for the participants who raise the most in donations for the Unite for Healthy Kids 5K Walk/Run. Local radio station WAMJ's midday on-air personality Maria More will be on hand to host the 5K event and get participants warmed up to walk and run.

"We are so pleased to get such tremendous support from the community for this 5K event because the money we raise goes directly to help us conduct free summer camps for kids and provide scholarships to high school students for college" said Lori A. Manns, president of Live Healthy & Thrive Youth Foundation, Inc.

For more information about the Live Healthy & Thrive Youth Foundation, please visit, http://www.livehealthyandthriveyouth.org. Media interested in covering the event should contact Cherryl Harris at info@livehealthyandthriveyouth.org

ABOUT LIVE HEALTHY & THRIVE YOUTH FOUNDATION, INC.


Live Healthy & Thrive Youth Foundation was established in 2010 as a 501 (c) 3 non profit organization to teach kids healthy lifestyle habits and encourage active involvement of parents in the metro Atlanta area regarding the health and wellness of their children. The mission of Live Healthy & Thrive Youth Foundation is to educate, activate, motivate and empower youth in the areas of academic achievement, health, nutrition, fitness and total wellness. http://www.livehealthyandthriveyouth.org