More than 250 people interested in spreading the message of promoting a healthy lifestyle gathered in Orlando on September 30, 2005 for the first-ever Central Florida Summit on Obesity. Encouraging healthy lifestyle choices is one of the original priority goals established by myregion.org. For that reason, myregion.org is a partner of Florida on the Move, which sponsored the summit.

According to the Florida Department of Health, nearly 60% of all adults in Florida have a body mass index that is considered overweight. That figure marks a 69% increase from 1986 when 35% of Florida adults were overweight. The issue is also critical for children as 19% of all children in Florida are considered overweight and an additional 14% are considered at risk for being overweight.

America on the Move is a national program designed to encourage people to live a healthier lifestyle by walking more and eating wisely. Florida on the Move is a state subsidiary of the national program and started their statewide initiative in January 2005. Over the last nine months, more than 10,000 Central Florida residents have enrolled in the Florida on the Move program.

The America on the Move program is the brainchild of Dr. James Hill, the director of the Center for Human Nutrition at the University of Colorado. Dr. Hill served as the kickoff speaker for the day-long event and outlined the philosophy behind America on the Move.

The basic principle of the program calls for people to:

• Increase walking by 2000 steps per day
• Eliminate 100 calories of food intake per day 

Other speakers during the conference set the context for how obesity and unhealthy lifestyles affect everything from healthcare costs to job productivity in the nation.

After a morning of insightful information, the participants were encouraged to “Walk the Talk” by Dr. Dot Richardson, a two-time Olympic Gold Medalist and current member of the President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports. After a brief motivational address in which she emphasized the importance of having an active lifestyle, Richardson led the group on a 1,200-step walk through downtown Orlando.

One goal of the summit was to educate participants on how to take the Florida on the Move program and implement it within their workplace. Geri Evans, Executive Director of Florida on the Move, outlined the program’s web site, which allows participants to track their steps and choose virtual walking tours from throughout the country.

For more information on Florida on the Move, you can check out their web site at www.floridaonthemove.org.