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Last Updated: Jul 2nd, 2008 - 21:15:22 |
(NAPSI)-The statistics are stunning. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, an estimated 63 percent of adult Americans are overweight; more than a quarter are obese. And that's not the worst of it: Research shows that childhood obesity has more than tripled over the past two decades.
Get a move on
Helping combat the growing problem of obesity is Shape Up America!, a not-for-profit organization committed to raising awareness of obesity as a health issue and providing responsible information on healthy weight management.
For example, the Surgeon General's recommendation for physical activity is to add about 30 minutes of moderate-intensity activity each day on top of your customary daily activities. To get started, it's important to take a three-step approach:
1. Avoid the couch potato syndrome. First things first: Turn off the television. The sedentary activity defeats calorie control in three ways: It keeps us inactive; we often snack while watching TV; and we are bombarded with advertisements to eat more food.
2. Embrace your inner jumping bean. There are small ways in which you can build more physical activity into your daily routine. For example, you can run some errands on foot rather than in the car. You can drive your car to a shopping area but intentionally park at a distance in order to do more walking. You can take the stairs instead of the elevator.
3. Find a fitness friend. Recent reports reveal the heavy influence of friends and associates on weight gain and loss-all the more reason to take your shopping buddy on a sprint around the neighborhood trail or track.
Motivational poster
To help provide the motivation people need to get themselves moving and to do the requisite amount of exercise each day, Shape Up America! has teamed up with Sweet'N Low® to create a motivational poster that's available for free to educators, health professionals, parents-anyone who wants one.
Free Offer
Through positive messages, the colorful poster challenges people to take those important first steps toward becoming part of the New Generation-people who take care of their bodies through physical activity and calorie control. You can request the free 18" x 24" poster by going online at www.sweetnlow.com or www.shapeup.org. For immediate use, you can download a digital version.
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