As part of an ongoing effort to control rising obesity rates, the Utah Department of Health (UDOH) Check Your Health program has launch two new multi-media programs designed to teach Utahns to exercise and start healthier eating habits.

Both programs will be available on www.kutv.com and supported by the Check Your Health Website, www.checkyourhealth.org. The Check Your Health partners - UDOH, Intermountain Healthcare and 2News Fresh Air - have long realized the need to make the healthy choice the easy choice. Combining the “Workout on the Web” programs, healthy cooking segments and the Internet will hopefully give Utahns even more tools to help them live healthier lifestyles.

Be Active
“In Utah, over half of Utah adults are overweight, with 1 in 5 being obese. One in 4 of Utah’s children is at an unhealthy weight,” said Jane Sims, project coordinator for Check Your Health. “We’re excited about these new programs, because they give Utahns, more than information. They provide actual tools people can start using today to control their weight and make healthy choices.”

One of the components of the new campaign is the Check Your Health “Workout on the Web.” In these 4-minute segments, 2News anchor Mary Nickles and UDOH employee April Lingwall work out with Brett McIff, physical activity specialist and certified personal trainer from UDOH’s Healthy Utah program. Viewers can use the workouts in their own home or get relevant workout tips to take to the gym.

The “Workout on the Web” segments will be available to download to a user’s video I-pod or similar device as well. Viewers who want a printout of the exercises, with pictures to show correct form and instructions from the trainer, can link to www.checkyourhealth.org to download and print a PDF document.

The Workouts are designed to help users build strength, targeting a specific body part and using cost-effective techniques like body-weight resistance, exercise balls and bands, as well as traditional hand weights. The programs will be found on KUTV’s Web site at www.kutv.com/befit.

To coincide with the launch of the “Workout on the Web” initiative, KUTV is bringing back their popular “Fresh Start to Fitness” program. Every Thursday, beginning September 21, a fitness coach from Intermountain Healthcare’s Orthopedic Specialty Hospital (TOSH), will be featured during a segment on “2News This Morning.”

Eat Healthy
The second component of the campaign is centered on good nutrition. Each Thursday on 2News at Noon, the Fresh From the Kitchen cooking segments will feature light, family-friendly recipes. Supporting this effort will be several dieticians from the Utah Department of Health and Intermountain Healthcare.

“Many Utah families are afraid to try something different. This is all about helping them learn how to cook flavorful, family-friendly meals with a healthy approach,” says Sims.

After the broadcast, each cooking segment will be available to watch on kutv.com. Printer-friendly recipes with a nutritional breakdown and shopping list will be made available on www.checkyourhealth.org.

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