Scale Back Alabama Kicks Off For Fifth Consecutive Year
By: Stephen Crews
Updated: January 24, 2011
Alabama is trying to shed its health image by asking residents to shed pounds.
Thursday they announced the kick off of their statewide weight loss initiative, scale back Alabama.
It’s the fifth year of the program and health officials say it’s working.
Scale Back Alabama is a contest that takes team work and everyone stands to win by losing. Previous year’s participants say it makes a difference.
Diane Green, Scale Back Participant, says, “I no longer have to take any medication for my cholesterol, my cholesterol is well within the norm, my high blood pressure is low blood pressure where it used to be and my knee doesn’t hurt anymore.”
Scale Back encourages residents to join a team through work or local organizations and weigh in regularly. Team members learn to eat better and exercise.
Don Williamson, Alabama State Health Officer, says, “We know that obesity is linked to everything from cancer to diabetes to heart disease to bone and joint problems and we also know that relatively moderate weight changes just losing five pounds, ten pounds can make a real difference in some of the health outcomes especially around things such as diabetes.”
Teams in which every member loses ten pounds are placed in a drawing for one of three grand prizes with top prize being one thousand dollars per team member. It’s motivation that can lead to better health.
In a state where two thirds of residents are obese or overweight every pound lost is a gain.
In the past four years a total of 600,000 pounds have been lost through Scale Back.
Montgomery City County Library branches will serve as public weigh-in sites. Participants must form four member teams and register online at www.scalebackalabama.com beginning January 22.
Thursday they announced the kick off of their statewide weight loss initiative, scale back Alabama.
It’s the fifth year of the program and health officials say it’s working.
Scale Back Alabama is a contest that takes team work and everyone stands to win by losing. Previous year’s participants say it makes a difference.
Diane Green, Scale Back Participant, says, “I no longer have to take any medication for my cholesterol, my cholesterol is well within the norm, my high blood pressure is low blood pressure where it used to be and my knee doesn’t hurt anymore.”
Scale Back encourages residents to join a team through work or local organizations and weigh in regularly. Team members learn to eat better and exercise.
Don Williamson, Alabama State Health Officer, says, “We know that obesity is linked to everything from cancer to diabetes to heart disease to bone and joint problems and we also know that relatively moderate weight changes just losing five pounds, ten pounds can make a real difference in some of the health outcomes especially around things such as diabetes.”
Teams in which every member loses ten pounds are placed in a drawing for one of three grand prizes with top prize being one thousand dollars per team member. It’s motivation that can lead to better health.
In a state where two thirds of residents are obese or overweight every pound lost is a gain.
In the past four years a total of 600,000 pounds have been lost through Scale Back.
Montgomery City County Library branches will serve as public weigh-in sites. Participants must form four member teams and register online at www.scalebackalabama.com beginning January 22.
