The Joplin Globe, Joplin, MO

Joplin Metro

Discussion

February 17, 2010

Poor health ratings lead to fitness promotion

By Debby Woodin

dwoodin@joplinglobe.com

Five plus five equals healthy living.

Translated, that’s five servings of fruits and vegetables a day, and five days of exercise, as little as 30 minutes of walking a day, that are prescribed to battle the bulge that is defeating the health of area residents.

Those involved in a campaign called “LiveSmart” on Wednesday announced that its push for area residents to “Eat Right — Move More” will step into full swing April 1.

It’s a project that has been in the works for two years by the Jasper and Newton Counties Community Health Collaborative. Late last year, the collaborative landed a grant to give it the money to promote healthy living, said Ashley Micklethwaite, grant and community benefit manager for St. John’s Regional Medical Center, which participates in the collaborative.

The collaborative formed in 1999, and has conducted previous campaigns to promote hand washing and childhood immunization.

Participants say the LiveSmart message is so important to health that many entities have banded together to lend a hand with the campaign. They include the Joplin, Jasper County and Newton County health departments; St. John’s and Freeman Health System; schools; area YMCAs; a number of nonprofit organizations; the Wildcat Glades Conservation & Audubon Center; and walking and running clubs.

County rankings

Dan Pekarek, director of the Joplin Health Department, said Jasper County ranked very low — 93rd out of 115 counties in the state — in the County Health Rankings study done by the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute, regarded as the measuring stick of the public’s health. Newton County fared better, at 46th, Pekarek said.

“We know this: that being overweight is linked to a multitude of health problems, and the data of the community health assessment supports that,” Pekarek said.

LiveSmart will try to change those rankings by conducting a public campaign to encourage people to do something — anything — to get more exercise and eat healthier.

The organization has created a challenge between Jasper and Newton counties to see which group of residents can get the most participants and log in with the most activity. It is described as a friendly competition in which individuals or groups can get involved. Churches and businesses have been asked to engage in the exercise and healthy eating program, and to compete for the most participation.

Web site

Tammy Blaylock, the LiveSmart coordinator, said a Web site has been created to give people information on where they can walk or run, play disc golf or softball, or do other activities.

“This will allow people to get out and exercise at no cost to them,” she said. “Our parks system is available at no charge.”

People also are welcome to walk in their own neighborhoods, count time played on Wii fitness games, or tally any other activity that involves exercise.

That site, www.livesmartswmo.org, also will allow participants to log their results for the two-county challenge and to keep personal logs of how they have adhered to the “5 + 5 formula.”

Members of the Dogwood Trailblazers walking club and the Joplin Roadrunners club said people are invited to walk or run with them at no charge. Club memberships are available for small fees but are not required for routine walking or running events.

The official challenge will last from April through May, and the organization will do booster events for the next two years.

Neosho’s mayor, Jeff Werneke, and Joplin’s mayor pro tem, Michael Woolston, presented a proclamation on behalf of both cities Wednesday at a LiveSmart presentation encouraging residents to participate.





Funding source



LiveSmart is funded with a $300,000 grant from the Missouri Foundation for Health. Ashley Micklethwaite, grant and community benefit manager for St. John’s Regional Medical Center, said that money comes from private donations, not taxpayer dollars.

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