Health contest encourages fifth-graders to 'Move It'

Regence BlueCross BlueShield of Utah is encouraging children to "Move It" and be more active and healthy by sponsoring an 11-week walking challenge for fifth-graders.

The more students walk, the better chance they have to win a cash award for their school — up to $2,500. More than 1,000 fifth-graders in the Murray and Washington School Districts are participating in the pilot program.

Regence supplies each student a "Move It" backpack and pedometer. Two teams in each class participate in the competition, which runs through March 24. Participating schools have a chance to win one of five classroom prizes, and Regence will reward the three best-performing schools with $2,500, $1,000 and $500 to use for health-related purposes.

"One out of four Utah children is at an unhealthy weight, putting them at risk of becoming one of the 58 percent of overweight or obese adults in Utah," said Dr. David N. Sundwall, executive director of the Utah Department of Health.

"Over the past 20 years, obesity-related hospital costs for children have tripled," said Scott Ideson, president of Regence BlueCross BlueShield of Utah. "With obesity levels increasing among adults and children statewide, we all need to pitch in to provide education and encouragement."