Be Active Every Day 2013

November 30, 2013

More than 4,000 kids in 17 communities across BC completed the 2013 Be Active Every Day (BAED) challenge from October 7 – November 1, 2013, and received certificates to celebrate their achievement of being active for at least an hour of every day throughout the month.

The second annual BAED program was developed by Doctors of BC in response to the Canadian Health Measures Survey that only seven per cent of 5-11 year olds meet the Canadian Physical Activity guidelines of one hour of activity a day. Doctors across BC visited 34 schools and organized activities that kept students active throughout the month in an effort to curb childhood obesity trends. BAED had the support of the Canadian National Free Style Skiing and Snowboarding Associations. Olympic half-pipe snowboarder Mercedes Nicoll and Canadian National Team mogul skier Andi Naude encouraged kids to keep moving through a series of videos, blog posts, and a kids’ booklet – they even visited a couple of schools along with the physicians.

At the conclusion of the challenge, the doctors each returned to their respective schools to hand out certificates and heard how the kids kept active during the challenge and what they learned.  Bicycles were handed out to five students in schools from Comox, Richmond, Vancouver, Victoria, and Whistler as prizes for winning an essay contest explaining why being active is good for their body.

A Subway sandwich party was awarded to the grade five class of Walnut Park Elementary in Smithers, BC for their class photos showing them in action.