LEXINGTON, Miss. – Mississippi still stands as the nation’s fattest state for the fifth consecutive year, and Holmes County is the second most obese county in the state.
However, thanks to the Carol M. White Physical Education Program (PEP) grant, the Community Students Learning Center (CSLC), the Holmes County School District, and Congressman Bennie Thompson, (D-Miss.) are “working hard” to help change all of that with a detailed plan of attack.
Developed by CSLC, the plan is termed, S.T.O.R.Y. (Strategic Tactics for Obesity Reduction among Youth.)
Wednesday morning, Aug. 2, Thompson participated in a demonstration of the Carol M. White PEP equipment that CSLC has already placed in several elementary schools in Holmes County.
Thompson attended the demonstration at Lexington Elementary School, located at 209 Pine Street. “It’s important to teach healthy life styles,” said Thompson. “From our standpoint in Washington, we know the best way to fight obesity is to start now while children are young.”
After personally trying out one of the state-of-the-art Expresso Fitness bikes in the school’s gymnasium for a few minutes, the congressman got off of it and said, “There is no question about it; it works!” The small group of county and center officials, and students chuckled.
Thompson also mentioned that he is working with the University of Mississippi Medical Center (UMC) to develop a center for excellence on obesity prevention.
According to a Trust for America’s Health and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation report, Mississippi’s obesity rate was 32.5 percent, consecutively ranking at the top of the study for five years. Mississippi also had the highest rate of overweight children aged 10 to 17, at 44.4 percent.
CSLC is a non-profit organization that provides multiple programs for children, youth, families and senior citizens in Holmes County, Mississippi and surrounding areas.
“We are extremely grateful and excited to have Congressman Thompson’s support in our attack on obesity in this county and ultimately, the state,” said CSLC Executive Director Beulah Greer. “In fact, Congressman Thompson and his office were instrumental in the awarding and announcement of our Carol M. White PEP grant,” Greer said.
The purpose of the grant is to provide funds to local educational agencies and community-based organizations (including faith-based organizations) to initiate, expand, and improve physical education programs (including after school programs) for students in grades kindergarten through 12.
One major piece of equipment used is the Polar Trifit 700. It provides an individual’s body age compared to their chronological age. During a demonstration one individual’s body age was 46 compared to a chronological age of 39. The Greers’ daughter Takila was proud to learned that her body age was 27 and her chronological age was 27. The Polar Trifit 700 also makes recommendations for an obtainable body age. For the 39 year old gentlemen, his obtainable age was 36, and for Talika, it was 19.
The Center has a versa court that is designed for tennis, volleyball, and basketball. It also uses the innovative SPARK (Sports, Play, and Active Recreation for Kids) curriculum. “SPARK is highly sought after throughout the United States,” said Porche Frizell, project director.“
CSLC is one of three awardees of the grant in Mississippi.
For more information, call (662) 834-0905.
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