Camp gives kids their marching orders

"Everybody ready? Psyched? Motivated?" shouted an ROTC leader to the band of less-than-thrilled kids.

They needed encouragement. They were getting ready for a half-mile trail hike wearing an 18-pound camouflage backpack.

They took off, but not before laboring through a 30-minute regimen of push-ups, jumping jacks, stretching and a short run. Despite some grumbling, the campers finished the trek, which was part of their second 75-minute aerobic workout that day.

Sound more like a boot camp than summer camp? It's much more. It's the latest effort to fight childhood obesity, called The Children's Better Health Institute's Forever-Fit Summer Camp on the Northwestside.

While many activities at the six-week day camp -- swimming, biking, hiking, field trips -- are like those at other camps, this is not a typical program. It's for local 8- to 12-year-olds who are overweight or obese. Twenty-eight are enrolled in this pilot program that organizers hope to learn from and expand.

The focus at Forever-Fit Summer Camp isn't on losing weight, counting calories or looking good in jeans. It's on developing long-term good eating habits and learning to enjoy regular physical activity.

It's not just for kids. Their parents have to be involved too.

"We want to see systemic change in their behavior over time. We also have to get the buy-in from parents, so once a week they're here, too," said Joan SerVaas, camp program director and president and publisher of The Saturday Evening Post and U.S. Kids. The program is sponsored by the children's institute, a division of the nonprofit Saturday Evening Post Society Inc.

The day camp, located at the institute's 24-acre facility, is loaded with fun amenities. But campers' days also include some frank talk about what and how much they should eat and how much activity they need.

The camp has two tennis courts, a 200- meter track, a soccer field, vegetable garden, basketball court, swimming pool and walking trail with fitness stations. The indoor facilities feature a large hall where children eat and write in their food and activity journals. In the kitchen, parents and youth witness healthy cooking demonstrations weekly.

Another unusual facet of this camp is its research component.

Riley Hospital for Children researchers are tracking the youths' weight, body mass index (BMI) and other health measures. They will study results to judge how this type of camp -- focusing on physical, emotional and social aspects -- can help youth struggling with weight and health issues.

"I don't think there is anything like this in the country," said Dr. Sandeep Gupta, an Indiana University professor of clinical pediatrics who is director of Riley's POWER Program for obese/overweight children. Most programs for overweight youth are intense programs requiring overnight stays and costing thousands of dollars, he said. This camp costs $50 weekly, with some scholarships available.

The POWER Program, a 12-month clinic that treats children ages 2 to 18 physically, emotionally and psychologically, also provides the camp with professional expertise to help lead "a much needed and novel idea," said Gupta.

While he hopes to see weight loss and better BMIs, progress ultimately will be measured in broader terms.

"If we can empower them, tell them what's right and wrong," Gupta said, "they will become more informed consumers and even tell people around them how to eat healthy."

Sheryl Richardson has high hopes for her 9-year-old daughter, Olivia. If given the choice, Richardson said, Olivia would pick a passive, inactive activity over an active one.

"You have to put her in an environment where everyone else wants to be active," she said. "I'm hoping at the end of the six weeks, she will want to be more active and more focused on her food choices."

Like other campers, Olivia seems to be soaking in the messages.

"It's kind of fun," said Olivia, who said one reason she's here is due to high blood pressure. "I've already lost a little bit of weight. We have healthy stuff, like turkey burgers and fruit."

Campers are learning about and trying different types of physical activities and new foods -- like sweet potato fries and honeydew melon. Organizers and parents alike want to spark the youths' interests and taste buds.

Kesha Starks, mother of Josiah, 9, wants to improve his eating. "One of the things I was hoping he would learn is healthy eating and trying to make those choices for himself."

Josiah acknowledged that he needs to eat more fruits and vegetables and watch his portion sizes. The fourth-grader says he gets some exercise walking his dog and playing Nintendo Wii games. But his mom would like to see him get outside more -- and watch fewer cartoons.

Camp organizers hope to foster that desire to learn what it takes to get healthy. A big concern, though, is that the lessons won't stick. So, parents and youth will be asked to exercise and eat healthfully together on weekends and come back monthly after the camp ends.

"I want children to leave with a better understanding of lifetime fitness -- that it's more than just playing games," said Kyle McIlrath, camp counselor who directs physical activities.