Sept. 26, 2011
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — The University of New Mexico men’s soccer team joined a national movement with the Notah Begay III (NB3) Foundation’s Be a Game Changer campaign to help raise awareness about the fight against type 2 diabetes and obesity faced by Native American youth across the country.
The NB3 Foundation provides health & wellness programming for Native American youth to address nutrition and healthy choices, as well as soccer and golf programs and clinics to encourage exercise and regular physical activity for native children. The NB3 Soccer Program implements youth soccer programs on Native American reservations in order to combat the epidemic of type 2 diabetes and childhood obesity, and to provide a platform for youth leadership development through sport participation.
By participating in the NB3 Be a Game Changer traveling banner project, UNM soccer has played a critical role in promoting the efforts the NB3 Foundation and expanding soccer to a larger part of the Native American community.
“We are extremely grateful to the Lobo men’s soccer team for participating in our project to raise awareness for our foundation and the youth we serve,” said Stephanie Gabbert, Director of Soccer, Notah Begay III Foundation. “This will have a direct impact on our ability to expand our reach and bring soccer to the youth of Indian Country. You are all truly Game Changers to us!”
For more information check out the NB3 Foundation website at: www.nb3foundation.org
On the NB3 website you can also participate in the NB3 Foundation’s “Give a Kid a Ball” project in an effort to provide soccer balls to Native American children – go ahead, Be a Game Changer!
Native American youth health statistics:
44% of Native American 5-year-olds are overweight, and 24% are obese, twice the national average.
61% of Pueblo children are overweight or obese.
Native children as young as four have been diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes.
The average life expectancy of someone diagnosed with diabetes is 20 years after diagnosis.
One out of every two Native American children born after 2002 will get Type 2 diabetes.