Celebrating a Decade of Youth Fitness With the NFL Foundation
As the NFL celebrates 100 years of football glory, we celebrate the NFL PLAY 60 FitnessGram Project, a decade-long partnership between The Cooper Institute and the NFL Foundation. Together, we are working to improve the trajectory of children’s health and wellness by encouraging 60 minutes of daily physical activity.
Part of the NFL Foundation’s mission is to make the next generation of youth the most active and healthy through programs like NFL PLAY 60 and Fuel Up to Play 60. Using FitnessGram by The Cooper Institute to measure the fitness levels of students across the country, we scientifically validated the effectiveness of the NFL’s school-based fitness and nutrition programs.
Healthy habits start early and have a lasting impact.
Our groundbreaking research with the NFL PLAY 60 FitnessGram Project proves that children who participate in school-based fitness programs have improved aerobic fitness, lower body mass index (BMI), and higher academic scores and better attendance.
NFL PLAY 60 is the only school-based youth fitness program proven by research from The Cooper Institute. While NFL PLAY 60 has the wide reach, visibility and excitement that comes with any NFL-affiliated program, greater school participation is needed to have the most impact on American children.
Our FitnessGram research proves that improved physical activity and fitness plays an important role in overall student health and academic achievement, including improved reading and math scores. This can have a lasting impact on our youth that may carry over into adulthood as they enter the workforce or the military.
Currently, 75% of young adults are not fit for military service in large part because of obesity and poor fitness. This problem also translates into the workforce where poor health is driving up the cost of healthcare and driving down productivity.
Fitness is the key to building stronger schools, stronger communities and a stronger workforce.
Help us make a greater impact in our communities by bringing NFL PLAY 60 and FitnessGram to more schools. Together, we can improve youth fitness and build a healthier generation for the future.
Learn more and get involved by visiting the NEW FitnessGram website at fitnessgram.net.
