Live Heatlhy North Texas

With Live Healthy Dallas 2009 behind us it is time to look forward to a new and exciting program to improve the health of not just Dallas, but all of North Texas.

The Live Healthy North Texas 100 Day Challenge is a team based weight loss and physical activity program that will assist individuals and their teammates in making positive changes that lead to a healthier lifestyle. By competing in Live Healthy North Texas participants will begin to form healthy habits through physical activity and improved nutrition. In this way Dallas and the North Texas Region will become forerunners in the vital race to create a healthier America.

According to the Center of Disease Control, an estimated 65% of U.S. adults ages 20 years and older are either overweight or obese, defined as having a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 25 or higher. In addition, more than 60% of the U.S. adult population does not engage in the recommended amount of physical activity and 25% are not active at all.

Live Healthy North Texas is a program that promotes physical activity and proper nutrition to achieve or maintain a healthy body weight. The goal is to impact individual behavior and the culture of work sites and communities to incorporate health into everyday life. As a team based program, it is designed to help Americans make positive lifestyle changes during the course of 100 days utilizing teamwork, support, and education.

All participants of Live Healthy North Texas will benefit in the form of healthier eating habits, increased physical activity levels, and a positive attitude. This is often most effectively done in the workplace, creating a positive environment for health promotion in your home away from home with the added benefit of fun and healthy competition amongst coworkers and between companies and organizations. Baylor Health Care System, a participant in the Live Healthy Dallas program from the beginning, had this to say:

Baylor Health Care System was proud to be involved with Live Healthy Dallas for the second year. We had a 35% increase in participation from year 1 to year 2 and even more success in weight loss and activity minutes. Our employees enjoy participating in the teams and challenging each other to lead a healthier lifestyle. Baylor believes it’s important to continue offering these opportunities to our employees and to show the community that we are committed to a “Healthier Dallas.”

Leia Spoor, MPH
Wellness Manager
Baylor Health Care System

Right now the Dallas Regional Chamber is working to get the word out about Live Healthy North Texas and the importance of living healthy lifestyles, especially in the workplace. And we would love to hear from you. What healthy activities do you participate in and promote within the workplace? What are your best practices for creating a healthier environment with healthier employees? As we lead up to the kick off of Live Healthy North Texas 2010 we will be highlighting companies doing their part to create a healthier Dallas, so send your best practices to healthcare@dallaschamber.org and give us the opportunity to highlight you.

For more information on Live Healthy North Texas please visit livehealthynorthtexas.org.