Members of Boys & Girls Clubs of Napa Valley attempt Guinness world record

Register staff | Posted: Monday, March 28, 2011 9:29 am

More than 200 members of Boys & Girls Clubs of Napa Valley joined their peers from more than 1,000 Boys & Girls Clubs across the country to break the Guinness world record for the most people doing “jumping jacks.”

“By jumping their way into history, they proved that you don't fancy equipment or a gym membership to get active and be healthy. Fitness can start with something as simple as a jumping jack,” said Eric Dreikosen, director of operations for Boys & Girls Clubs of Napa Valley.

Boys & Girls Clubs of America took on the jumping jack challenge as part of National Boys & Girls Club Week. This program, supported by founding sponsor, Coca-Cola, and the WellPoint Foundation, encourages kids to eat healthier, become more physically active, and increase their ability to engage in healthy relationships, officials said.

Jumping jacks are called star jumps in some countries because the arms, legs and head form a five-pointed star. The record is defined as, “the most people star jumping simultaneously at multiple venues for two consecutive minutes,” according to Guinness World Records.

To break the current record, more than 278 kids needed to complete the attempt. While the official verdict will come from Guinness in a couple of weeks, all indications are that the record has been broken, Dreikosen said.

Nearly one-third of children and teens in the U.S. are obese or overweight, according to multiple studies.