For Immediate Release
Contact: Donald Sico at 856-314-8066 or Judith Doyle at 609-393-4931
Trenton, NJ – The Mayors Wellness Campaign (MWC – www.mayorswellnesscampaign.org) today announced it is launching New Jersey’s first “Toxic Waistlines” competition in 25 towns across Morris County. The unique project is being undertaken with support from the national Strategies to Overcome and Prevent (STOP) Obesity Alliance (www.stopobesityalliance.org).
“The goal of ‘Toxic Waistlines’ is to change the way we think about getting healthy – it’s not just about weight loss anymore – it’s about reducing those “toxic” inches individuals carry around their stomach and abdomen – what experts now say is equally or more important than a person’s total body fat,” said Judith Doyle, Director of the Mayors Wellness Campaign.
The first twenty-five Morris County municipalities to sign-up for “Toxic Waistlines” will compete in this 100-day challenge which kicks-off on March 1st, “National Nutrition Month,” and ends on June 2nd, “Great Outdoors Month”.
Each of the participating municipalities will receive $500 dollars, and all the tools they need to operate the program (including a scale and tape measurer for weigh-ins and weigh-outs, a “weblog” for tracking progress and sharing diet and exercise ideas, and support from dietetic interns and nutrition faculty who are Registered Dietitians from the College of Saint Elizabeth in Morristown, NJ). At the end of the 100 days, the municipality that lost the most number of inches overall will win the competition and be featured at a June press conference.
“We are excited that mayors are able to lead their communities into better health through programs such as the Mayors Wellness Campaign, and competitions like “Toxic Waistlines,” and we look forward to celebrating with all of the winners in June,” Doyle said.
The MWC is an initiative of the New Jersey Health Care Quality Institute in partnership with the New Jersey State League of Municipalities. Through public-private partnerships, the MWC provides structure and resources for healthy community initiatives, with a long-term goal of reducing health care and other costs secondary to obesity and inactivity. The MWC supports mayors as champions of community health. By encouraging mayors to play a leadership role in supporting local opportunities for active, healthy lifestyles, the intent of the MWC is to improve health and make New Jersey a national leader in community-based health interventions. Currently, more than half of the New Jersey’s 566 municipalities are participating in the campaign and are working aggressively to decrease obesity rates and increase the overall health of their communities.
About the STOP Obesity Alliance
The Strategies to Overcome and Prevent (STOP) Obesity Alliance is a collaboration of consumer, provider, government, labor, business, health insurers, and quality-of-care organizations united to drive innovative and practical strategies that combat obesity.
The Alliance is sponsored by sanofi-aventis U.S. LLC, a world leader in the pharmaceutical industry with a commitment to improving public health and a heritage in therapeutic areas including cardiovascular and metabolic diseases.
