Jon Stanton

I received a disturbing email from friends at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan last week. According to the most recent analysis of data, Michigan is the SEVENTH most obese state in the country. More than one-third of our residents are obese and an even higher percentage of those above age 65 are obese.

Interestingly, Michigan is at the top of the list for our "area" (the Midwest). The other states that are more obese are all in the South. Mississippi leads the pack. I suspect fried chicken and okra with biscuits and sausage gravy for breakfast may be culprits there, but what about here?

Well, certainly we have our "weather" challenges, especially this time of year. Michigan's historical role as an industrial state may play a role also. While physically taxing, assembly-line work doesn't often involve a lot of movement that gets your heart rate up and burns calories. I suspect that a more recent phenomenon that is impacting our obesity rates is lack of movement - especially with our children. Let's face it, Playstation is a lot more popular than playground.

So what can we do to get Michigan to move? Well, there are all sorts of options, of course. First, we are bountifully blessed with a beautiful state. Michigan has some of the best parks and trails in the nation and I think sometimes we forget to take advantage of them because we just take them for granted. Kids may be bored "going for a walk" but if you tell them you're "going for a hike" and include fun activities like looking for certain animals, or mushrooms, or birds, or whatever as you walk through the woods, they'll be moving and getting exercise and enjoying it all at the same time.

What about now, though? Yes, I know, some folks just cannot handle the thought of walking in the snow. Don't misunderstand me, I am NOT a cold-weather afficianado by any means, and winter presents a unique set of challenges for me too. I try to walk outdoors every day because believe it or not, winter walking actually burns more calories because your body has to work harder to keep you warm and "warm" the air you are breathing. I also use a treadmill if it's brutally cold or dangerously icy. And...another great option...

WALK AT THE MALL (or inside any "big box" store). We are so fortunate to have the Winter Warm-Up with the Blues' Community Challenge running in our area currently. You can join hundreds of other walkers at the Lansing Mall on Saturdays from 9am to 10am, enter contests, win prizes, and log miles to help your community win a grant prize from Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan. If that doesn't work for you, join a Winter Warm-Up Satellite group - they are forming all over the place! Even more exciting is that you can continue walking throughout the week and log all your miles for your community's team! The more you walk, the more chances you have to win great prizes, and the more chances your community has to win the grand prize - $2,500 from Blue Cross Blue Shield for a health/fitness project in your hometown.

So, let's get moving, Lansing! Let's be a model for the rest of our state and do our part to get Michigan from the top of the obesity list to the bottom. All of us will benefit! Visit www.cphlansing.com for more information about the Winter Warm-Up program.