KO Obesity & Live Light Live Right Team Up for Year Long Health Initiative Fitness & Nutrition Classes to Fight Childhood Obesity in Poor Communities

Brooklyn, NY, March 01, 2015 --(PR.com)-- Childhood obesity has steadily increased over the years, becoming a major health crisis that has more than doubled in children since the 1970s. Children living in NYC’s most vulnerable communities face obstacles that hinder healthy and active lifestyle. High crime rates, shortages of open spaces, scaled back physical education programs in public schools, and an increased focus on standardized testing contribute to childhood obesity.

On March 3, 2015, Brooklyn-based charity, Knockout Obesity and Live Light Live Right, will launch its combined first year-long program at CAMBA Beacon 166 (800 Van Siclen Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11207). Knockout Obesity supports community centers serving low-income neighborhoods, by providing a course blueprint and professional boxer to teach each class. Boxing equipment is donated to participating community centers, and existing staff is trained to sustain the program year round. “We are very excited for the opportunity to partner with Knockout Obesity and offer our children this energetic boxing program, said Dr. Dhuper, Founder and Executive Director, Live Light Live Right. We are looking forward to experiencing the year long program at our partner location, CAMBA Beacon.”

Charity founder and Brooklyn restaurateur, Dimitrios Verteouris, personally contributes to the semi-weekly KO classes, engaging participants in 45 minutes of non-contact, boxing-based training. Following the fitness component, Knockout Obesity institutes a 15 minute nutrition lesson, from its 36-week nutrition education curriculum designed to promote the 13 healthy eating outcomes outlined in the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Health Education Curriculum Analysis Tool (HECAT).

About Knockout Obesity

A former cast member on Food Network’s reality show, Fat Chef, Dimitrios Verteouris lost 82lbs in three months using boxing and his own good eats at Nature’s Grill. He founded Knockout Obesity to make an immediate and lasting change in NYC’s least served communities through a three-prong strategy that focuses on Physical Fitness, Nutrition Education, and Capacity-Building. Last year, Knockout Obesity was the recipient of a $25,000 donation from Two-Time and Two Division Boxing World Champion and NABF Welterweight Champion Paulie “Magic Man” Malignaggi. Knockout Obesity has been featured by ESPN, The Insider, New York Daily News, New York Post, Metro NY, Hot 97 and more. www.koobesity.com

About Live Light, Live Right:

Live Light, Live Right is a Brookdale University Hospital and Medical Center, a community-based partnership, non-profit 501(c)(3), serving overweight and obese children ages 2-19. Nearly half of the children in the program are those who live below the poverty line; suffer from a BMI >95th percentile or are at high risk of developing diabetes or other serious chronic diseases. By providing free or highly subsidized services, Live Light has already helped over 3,000 children improve their diet, exercise habits, and their health.www.livelight.org