Creating Healthier Places

Boys & Girls Clubs of America

2017 Progress Report

Year Committed: 2014
Length of Commitment: 5 years
Select a Progress Report:

Encourage 3,400 Boys and Girls Clubs to join a national effort to create healthier environments for children in out-of-school time programs. This includes encouraging Boys and Girls Club sites nationwide to adopt established guidelines based on The National Afterschool Association Standards for Healthy Eating and Physical Activity that address healthy eating, physical activity, and youth and parent education.

Verified Results

  • Implementation Date

    June 2019

    Reporting Date

    June 2017

    Commitment Element

    Encouraged Commitment Element All of the approximately 3,400 Boys & Girls Clubs nationwide join in the national effort to create healthier environments for children in out-of-school time programs.

    Progress To Date

    487 clubs submitted a Healthy OST Inventory.

  • Implementation Date

    June 2019

    Reporting Date

    June 2017

    Commitment Element

    Serve a fruit or vegetable at every snack and meal.

    Progress To Date

    73% of clubs said they were providing a fruit or vegetable at every meal. Based on the document audit, we are moderately confident in the accuracy of these reports.

  • Implementation Date

    June 2019

    Reporting Date

    June 2017

    Commitment Element

    Serve only foods with no artificial trans fats.

    Progress To Date

    60% of clubs said they were prohibiting trans fats in their snacks and meals. Based on the document audit, we are somewhat confident in the accuracy of these reports.

  • Implementation Date

    June 2019

    Reporting Date

    June 2017

    Commitment Element

    Serve only whole grain-rich products.

    Progress To Date

    64% of clubs said they were providing only whole grain-rich products at snacks and meals. Based on the document audit, we are somewhat confident in the accuracy of these reports.

  • Implementation Date

    June 2019

    Reporting Date

    June 2017

    Commitment Element

    Serve only non-fat or reduced fat yogurt and cheese

    Progress To Date

    79% of clubs said they were providing only non-fat or reduced fat dairy products at snacks and meals. Based on the document audit, we are not confident in the accuracy of these reports.

  • Implementation Date

    June 2019

    Reporting Date

    June 2017

    Commitment Element

    Serve only lean meat, skinless poultry, seafood, beans or legumes or eggs.

    Progress To Date

    63% of clubs said they were providing only lean protein, beans/legumes and eggs at snacks and meals. Based on the document audit, we are not confident in the accuracy of these reports.

  • Implementation Date

    June 2019

    Reporting Date

    June 2017

    Commitment Element

    Serve only packaged snacks or frozen desserts that meet the USDA Smart Snacks in School Standards.

    Progress To Date

    74% of clubs said they were providing only packaged snacks that meet Smart Snacks. Based on the document audit, we are not confident in the accuracy of these reports. 58% of clubs said they were providing only frozen desserts that meet Smart Snacks. Based on the document audit, we are not confident in the accuracy of these reports.

  • Implementation Date

    June 2019

    Reporting Date

    June 2017

    Commitment Element

    Provide plain potable water at all times at no cost to youth and staff.

    Progress To Date

    97% of clubs said they were providing drinking water at no cost. Based on the document audit, we are moderately confident in the accuracy of these reports.

  • Implementation Date

    June 2019

    Reporting Date

    June 2017

    Commitment Element

    Serve only water; plain low-fat milk, plain or flavored nonfat milk or milk alternative; 100% fruit or vegetable juice with no added sweeteners or 100% juice diluted with water with no added sweeteners.

    Progress To Date

    89% of clubs said they were providing low-fat plain, or plain or flavored non-fat milk at snacks and meals. Based on the document audit, we are somewhat confident in the accuracy of these reports. 81% of clubs said they were providing only 100% fruit or vegetable juice. Based on the document audit, we are somewhat confident in the accuracy of these reports. 66% of clubs said they were prohibiting full-calorie sodas, sports drinks, or juice drinks. Based on the document audit, we are not confident in the accuracy of these reports. 71% of clubs said they were prohibiting diet/low-calorie beverages for elementary students. Based on the document audit, we are not confident in the accuracy of these reports. 81% of clubs said they were serving only non-caffeinated beverages. Based on the document audit, we are not confident in the accuracy of these reports.

  • Implementation Date

    June 2019

    Reporting Date

    June 2017

    Commitment Element

    Dedicate at least 20% or at least 30 minutes of morning or afterschool program time to physical activity and 60 minutes for a full day program.

    Progress To Date

    97% of clubs said they were providing 30 minutes of morning/afterschool or 60 minutes total of physical activity a day. Based on the document audit, we are highly confident in the accuracy of these reports.

  • Implementation Date

    June 2019

    Reporting Date

    June 2017

    Commitment Element

    Provide physical activities in which youth are moderately to vigorously active for at least 50% of the physical activity time.

    Progress To Date

    97% of clubs said they were providing activities that are moderate to vigorous. Based on the document audit, we are moderately confident in the accuracy of these reports.

  • Implementation Date

    June 2019

    Reporting Date

    June 2017

    Commitment Element

    Ensure physical activity takes place outdoors whenever possible.

    Progress To Date

    94% of clubs said they were ensuring physical activity takes place outdoors. Based on the document audit, we are moderately confident in the accuracy of these reports.

  • Implementation Date

    June 2019

    Reporting Date

    June 2017

    Commitment Element

    Offer evidence-based nutrition education to youth.

    Progress To Date

    77% of clubs said they were providing evidence-based Nutrition Education. Based on the document audit, we are somewhat confident in the accuracy of these reports.

  • Implementation Date

    June 2019

    Reporting Date

    June 2017

    Commitment Element

    Offer education materials about nutrition and physical activity to families through pamphlets, newsletters, email blasts or other means.

    Progress To Date

    43% of clubs said they were sharing nutrition education materials with parents. Based on the document audit, we are not confident in the accuracy of these reports.

Partner Statement

“Local Boys & Girls Clubs are great places for young people to play and get active. For more than 150 years, local Boys & Girls Clubs have served young people most in need helping them develop the skills to become caring, responsible and productive citizens. Sixty percent of Club youth are eligible for free- or reduced-price school lunches, an important indicator of low income status, compared to 51 percent of public school students nationally. Ethnically diverse young people, ages 6 to 18, are serviced by a Boys & Girls Club.

"Four years ago, BGCA made a commitment to PHA that young people would get active and make healthier food choices. More than 755 Clubs committed to adopting Healthy Eating and Physical Activity (HEPA) standards helping more than 105,000 youth ages 6 to 18. Some 96% of physical activity and 77% of healthy eating standards were demonstrated by Clubs through a recent independent assessment.

"The most effective way to build a healthier generation of young people is to focus on developing healthy habits during childhood, instead of trying to correct unhealthy behaviors as youth get older. With young people losing opportunities for physical education and recess in school, Boys & Girls Clubs provide a safe space to play and take part in team sports. Clubs offer fun, creative ways for youth of all skill and fitness levels to get moving.

"To understand the positive impact that Club participation has on youth each year, BGCA compares member survey data to statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS). This comparison shows that higher percentages of regularly attending Club members report being physically active every day than their peers nationally. Among youth in middle school, 42 percent of Club boys and 27 percent of Club girls exercise daily, compared with 37 percent of boys and 23 percent of girls nationally.”