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Acting U.S. Surgeon General Galson Visits Des Moines

Efforts to combat childhood obesity are honored

IDPH Press Release — 09/05/2008: Acting Surgeon General Steven Galson met with Iowa health advocates in Des Moines today as part of his "Healthy Youth for a Healthy Future" program. The effort targets prevention of childhood overweight and obesity and the promotion of healthy lifestyles for young people.

"I am honored to have the opportunity to visit Des Moines, and meet firsthand with people who are actively finding ways at the community level to prevent childhood overweight and obesity," said Galson, who is traveling the U.S. to showcase communities that address childhood obesity through nutrition and fitness initiatives.

While in Des Moines, Galson presented Hubbell Elementary School with a "Champion Award" for its commitment to fighting childhood obesity. Programs such as KidStriders and Pick a Better Snack encourage good eating habits and regular exercise. Students who participate in KidStriders are rewarded for each five miles they walk or run. The Pick a Better Snack program educates students about healthy snack options.

"It's not easy to combat childhood obesity in this age of remote controls, computers and video games," said Iowa Department of Public Health Director Tom Newton. "A national or state program is useless without the support and involvement of businesses, schools and communities. We are lucky to have that kind of involvement in Iowa."

According to Iowans Fit for Life, nearly 38 percent of Iowa 3rd, 4th and 5th graders are overweight or at risk of being overweight. The total annual health care cost attributed to adult obesity in Iowa is estimated at $783 million.

515.771.1140

cindy@iowakidstrong.com

659 46th Street

Des Moines, IA 50312

Cindy Elsbernd stands with Surgeon General General Steven Galson after Hubbell Elementary received honors for its implementation of and success with the KidStriders Program.

September 22, 2006: A morning camp was held at Drake University in conjunction with ultra-marathoner Dean Karnazes running the Des Moines Marathon route September 22, 2006. Des Moines was the sixth stop on the Endurance 50 challenge in which Karnazes completed 50 marathons in 50 states in 50 days.

Drake’s Track Coach and two-time Olympian, Natasha Kaiser Brown and about a dozen of Drake’s track team lead students through warm-up, stretching, agility and pacing exercises. Spike the Bulldog also joined the fun! The kids signed a shirt which was presented to Karnazes at the finish.

Karnazes documented the experience in his book 50/50: Secrets I Learned Running 50 Marathons in 50 Days — and How You Too Can Achieve Super Endurance: “At mile ten of the Des Moines Marathon, the course makes a loop around the famous blue Drake University track. When I arrived there with the large, spirited group of nearly three dozen runners who had signed up to run with me today, we were greeted by the Drake University mascot ( a bulldog names Spike) and more than fifty young kids wearing matching yellow T-shirts. Here comes the future! I thought as the kids wildly broke ranks and stampeded around the track with us, cheering and throwing high fives the whole way… We had just completed our lap when a woman standing at the exit from the track handed me one of those bright yell T-shirts, in my size, that had been signed by all of the children who’d run a quarter mile with me. The words Kidstrong, Iowa, Inc. (sic) were silk-screened on the front. I learned later that the woman who handed me the shirt was Cindy Elsbernd, Founder and president of Kidstrong Iowa (sic). Cindy is the veteran of multiple marathons who started this organization in response to her concerns about the childhood obesity epidemic. With two young kids of her own, these concerns began right at home. The program’s concept is simple but brilliant…”

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Photos from the September 22, 2006 Karnazes event.