Every January brings an opportunity to start anew, and that’s just what 157 Alabamians did last month to kick off the start of Scale Back Alabama, the state’s largest weight loss and exercise program.
The Alabama group weighed a collective 30, 400 pounds and for their effort broke the Guinness World Record for the most people on one scale, formerly held by a British company that in 2010 got 130 people on one scale. The record-breaking event was held at Sabel Steel in Montgomery and was painstakingly documented by witnesses and videographers and must still be reviewed by Guinness for official certification.
“Having this many people come out at the crack of dawn in cold weather was amazing, ” says Rosemary Blackmon, executive vice president and COO of the Alabama Hospital Association. “But even more amazing is the fact that Scale Back Alabama has lasted 10 years and has resulted in a statewide weight loss of more than 1.2 million pounds.”
“It’s very difficult to quantify the tremendous benefits of Scale Back Alabama, ” says Tom Miller, M.D., acting state health officer. “The evidence shows that obesity has serious health consequences, and unfortunately, Alabama ranks near the top in terms of adult obesity. However, it’s also been proven that programs like Scale Back Alabama that offer incentives, education and accountability as a team member go a long way in encouraging healthy lifestyles.”
Visit scalebackalabama.com for nutritional and dietary tips. Scale Back Alabama is a public awareness program sponsored by the Alabama Hospital Association, the Alabama Department of Public Health and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alabama.
Text by Dave Helms
