Posted on 03/29/2008 4:08:53 PM PDT by Diana in Wisconsin
With Wisconsin having some of the heaviest residents in the country, Gov. Jim Doyle challenged the state today to get in shape with a six-week fitness program.
"I want Wisconsin to lead the nation in the number of people taking the Governor's Challenge and leading more active, healthier lifestyles," Doyle said in a statement this morning. "This challenge is focused on motivating people of all ages and abilities to find activities they love, and get moving. Physical activity is extremely important for improving the health of our nation, decreasing obesity rates and reducing the risk of many serious diseases."
According to a 2006 report by Trust for America's Health, a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit organization aimed at disease prevention, Wisconsin's residents are the 28th heaviest in the nation, with adult obesity rates of 22.9 percent. If one adds in adults who are overweight but not quite obese, that covers 60 percent of the adult population in Wisconsin, Doyle said. He also said children across the country are three times more likely to be overweight now than in 1980.
The Trust for America's Health report also found that Wisconsin (which ranks 20th in population) ranked 43rd in the nation for adult diabetes levels, at 6.1 percent, and 31st for rates of hypertension, at 24.5 percent.
The report also found that Wisconsin was one of 31 states where obesity rates rose from the year before. No state met the federal government's goal, aimed at reducing obesity rates to 15 percent by 2015.
The governor's challenge piggybacks on the national President's Challenge, which actually began March 20, but is still registering people online through April 3 at www.presidentschallenge.org. The challenge concludes May 15.
Some 3,060 Wisconsin residents are already participating. The state with the highest participation rate wins the competition.
The governor is urging state employees to join in and is working with school districts to get kids enrolled. Any school that signs up more than 25 kids will receive a bicycle from Trek Bicycle Corp. to raffle off.
To participate in the challenge, adults must exercise 30 minutes a day, five days a week, for six weeks; children ages 6 to 17 have to exercise 60 minutes a day, five days a week, for six weeks. Activities range from racing a friend to taking a walk to running and gardening.
There is no fee to participate in the program, which tracks participants' progress online.
When Doyle announced his challenge this morning at the Lussier Family West YMCA of Madison, one of the individuals with him was John Burke, president and CEO of Trek. Burke also serves as the chairman of the President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports, which oversees the National President's Challenge.
hmm. Insurance pool must have sent out a fax.
Too much beer, cheese, and bratwurst.
But, Dude! We can win a BIKE! ;)
Just try to pry the brat and Leine’s from my cold, dead hand!
Also the fried cheese curds!
And frozen custard!
At the high cost of living that exists in Wisconsin, most people there are working long hours just to pay their Wis income taxes, the property taxes- which Gov tried to raise 8% recently, and all the other costs of “living” there.
Born and raised there. Couldn’t move back there is I wanted to...
First, Doyle ripped off the idea from President Bush (see http://www.presidentschallenge.org) This isn’t nanny statism, that would be the health care proposal. There’s no force involved in this.
Same here. I would love to retire to northern Wisconsin, but it would be financial suicide!
I consider it nannyism. Nannyism doesn’t have to be forced with the weight of law. Nannyism can be an image and culture, and this fits it...and it was nannyism when Bush pushed it.
“Too much beer, cheese, and bratwurst.”
No-such-thing.
It’s more Socialist Pap related to Socialized Medicine coming down the pipeline that WILL be mandated in the future. See you at 5am at the Public Gymnasium, Comrade! *Rolleyes*
Get back to me in a few years and tell me I’m wrong. It’s called “laying the groundwork.”
It’s worked very well for smoking bans, helmet laws, gun grabbers, drunk driving laws, the food police, global warming hoaxers, etc. ;)
And on that note, don’t forget to turn out your lights tonight, lest a migrating bird fly into your porch light!
http://news.yahoo.com/s/csm/alightout
Yeah, I'd like to think the Gov. is just using the power of the bully pulpit, but it's never that simple in this day and age. Everything is part of the conditioning process.
I'd like to start a pool where we can bet on how long it takes to reach each new landmark in the nanny state. For example, you would guess the month and year when a state first puts a limit on fast food consumption, first restricts the amount of tv one can watch, and -*shudder*- first makes exercise mandatory for its citizens. The winners, of course, would pitch in a chunk of their prize towards a party with plenty of illegal booze, illegal chocolate/fried treats, and other forbidden forms of harmless amusement.
Good evening, timm22! I’m going to turn on all my lights in the house now! :-)
Trek is involved in this? No more Treks (and Lemonds, since I have a Lemond cyclocross bike), unless it’s a warranty replacement. Any new hardware will be Bianchi.
Good evening, timm22! I’m going to turn on all my lights in the house now! :-)
“Everything is part of the conditioning process.”
I don’t know WHY that concept is so hard for even some Freepers to “get” but it is!
Keep fighting The Good Fight; I’m looking forward to the Revolution. I think it will come within my lifetime. People are fed up with this infringement on their personal and property rights. I know I am.
A prelude to a food police force perhaps?
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