Scale Back Alabama, a free organization dedicated to lowering the obesity rate in the state, will be hosting weigh-ins at The University of Alabama this week.
According to CBS News, Alabama is currently ranked the second most obese state, with 32.3 percent of its citizens overweight falling closely behind Mississippi, which has a 34.4 percent obesity rate.
Scale Back Alabama is designed to get Alabamians to lose weight by partnering participants to support each other. The goal is to lose 10 pounds over the course of 10 weeks.
This year, for Scale Back Alabama participants in Tuscaloosa, weigh-ins will be held at the Ferguson Center. These weigh-ins give participants a starting point to compare to at the end of the challenge. Partners add their weights together and enter them into the Scale Back Alabama website.
The University’s Exercise Physiology Club will host the weigh-ins. The club’s vice president, Hill Brakefield, said this is the club’s first year being involved with Scale Back Alabama. He said the group hopes to see a good turnout during the weigh-in.
“This program is usually targeted at Alabama’s adult population, so my hope for this event is that we can encourage students to sign up and get healthy,” Brakefield said. “Building good exercise habits among the college-aged population is an important part of reversing the obesity epidemic in Alabama, and the South in general.”
There is also an incentive for people to sign up, and motivation for those participating. Participants who meet their goal are entered in a drawing to win $250 to $1,000 per team member.
“Whether pursuing a New Year’s resolution or working on their spring-break bod, this is an excellent opportunity for students, faculty, and staff to possibly win money for achieving their weight loss goals,” Brakefield said.
Scale Back Alabama started in 2007 and according to a press release, they have made some changes to their program this year.
“The 2015 program has been redesigned somewhat based on feedback from previous participants and local coordinators. Those 18 and older can now participate in teams of two, rather than teams of four, and they can go online to self-register starting Jan. 6,” the press release read. “Once registered, they must go to an official weigh-in site during the week of Jan. 19-25 to have their initial weigh in. Then, each week they will receive health tips from a panel of experts. At the end of the contest, the names of all individuals and teams who lose at least 10 pounds (one pound a week) will be placed in a drawing for cash prizes.”
