by Lawrence Ragonese/The Star-Ledger
Thursday January 22, 2009, 5:34 PM
http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2009/01/antiobesity_efforts_win_parsip.html
Parsippany and Bridgewater were added today to an elite list of a six “Healthy Towns” across the state, an honor bestowed on the Morris and Somerset towns for their efforts to battle obesity and get residents in better physical and mental condition.
“You may have to drop down and give me five (pushups) at the border,” said Parsippany Mayor Michael Luther, after learning of the designation by the statewide Mayors Wellness Campaign. “As long as you don’t dare me to do the same,” Luther added, with a laugh.
The two towns join Madison, Clifton, Woodbridge and Hamilton Township as top honorees in a five-year-old effort to get towns and cities across the state to help promote healthier lifestyles for their residents.
“We have a stated goal of reducing obesity in New Jersey by 5 percent from when we started in 2004 through the end of 2010,” said Donald Sico, community director of the non-profit New Jersey Health Care Quality Institute, which has partnered with the state League of Municipalities in this healthy endeavor.
So far, Sico said about half of the state’s 566 towns have joined the Mayors Wellness Campaign.
