With close to one-fifth of US kids overweight and a rise in diagnoses of type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol in children, the YMCA of USA, National Recreation and Park Association, and National Association for Sport and Physical Education formed a coalition to encourage kids to play at least an hour a day, increase the number of places for playing, and recruit other groups to expand the effort.

Strategy
Led by Dittus Communications, the effort sought to sign ...