Obesity Prevention Center for Children and Youth

Mayor of Brockton Visits Basketball Camp of the Obesity Prevention Center for Children and Youth (OPCCY)
On August 9, 2007 at 6pm, the Honorable JAMES E. HARRINGTON, Mayor of Brockton, visited the Obesity Prevention Center for Children and Youth program "Play Basketball and Lose Weight". This camp is located at First Lutheran Church, 900 South Main Street, Brockton, MA.

OPCCY is an organization that was started in 2005 by Brockton natives and parents Marnite and Wilson Dolne. OPCCY was created to address the physical, emotional and nutritional needs of overweight and obese children through a community focused, family centered approach.

According to the US Surgeon General, The problem of childhood obesity in the United States has grown significantly in the last two decades. Approximately, between 16 and 33 percent of children and adolescents are considered obese. Unhealthy weight gain due to poor diet and lack of exercise is responsible for over 300,000 deaths each year. The annual cost to society for obesity is estimated at nearly $100 billion. Overweight children are much more likely to become overweight adults unless they adopt and maintain healthier patterns of eating and exercise.

The mission of OPCCY is to reduce the high risk of heart disease, diabetes, high cholesterol and other effects from children and youth who are at high risk of becoming obese and those who are already obese.

The "Play Basketball and Lose Weight" program has been running for almost a year and the participants have not only adopted new methods to healthy eating, but have already lost a total of 60 pounds collectively!