By JOSEPH FITZGERALD

WOONSOCKET — If Gov. Donald L. Carcieri had his way, he’d have all Rhode Islanders — including himself — huffing and puffing on treadmills and eating a balanced nutritious diet every day.

But for now, he’d settle for everyone taking a 30-minute walk a couple times a week and eating a little more fruits and vegetables.
Capitalizing on its success as the nation’s first “Well State,” Carcieri visited Woonsocket Wednesday morning to launch a new state wellness initiative called “Healthy Weight in 2008,” a year-long campaign to help Rhode Islanders take their first steps toward a healthier lifestyle.
Joining Carcieri for the announcement at the Thundermist Health Center were state Department of Health Director Dr. David R. Gifford and Department of Environmental Management Director W. Michael Sullivan.
“We want to make even further progress in getting the message out about the importance of healthy eating and increased physical activity,” the governor said.
“This new campaign will bring together many organizations and programs that will sponsor activities and events in Rhode Island during the year, making it easy for Rhode Islanders to realize a healthier lifestyle.”
“A key piece of the solution is wellness and what we, as individuals, can do to take better care of ourselves,” Carcieri told a room full of medical and health care professionals. “The point is we all know what’s good for us and what we need to do, but then we get busy with our lives and exercise becomes a low priority.”
Carcieri pointed to some sobering statistics, saying 56 percent of adults in Rhode Island are overweight or obese; 18 percent are obese; and another 38 percent are overweight. Health conditions related to obesity and being overweight include high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol, diabetes, asthma, heart disease, stroke, arthritis, depression, and various cancers.
Carcieri said while Rhode Islanders can pat themselves on the back for being named the first “Well State,” more work needs to be done.
To achieve the status of “Well State,” Rhode Island needed to have 20 percent of all its employees working for companies that are certified and designated as “well workplaces” by the Worksite Wellness Councils of America. Rhode Island currently has about 200 companies working towards this designation.
“Being named the first ‘Well State’ in the nation is an important milestone in our wellness initiative, but it is also an incentive to redouble our efforts to convince our citizens to eat healthy and to exercise,” the governor said.
According to Carcieri, obesity and related diseases have a direct impact on health care costs.
“The biggest thing driving health care costs is disease. We need to slow that down,” he said. “The real issue in the health care cost debate is to focus on what we can do to slow down the inflation rate of health care costs.”
Health care premiums, he said, are rising on average of 8 to 9 percent a year, while peoples’ incomes are only increasing by an average of 3.5 percent each year.
If one in 10 Rhode Islanders started a regular walking program, Carcieri said, the state could save $29 million in heart disease expenditures annually – an amount that could pay the college tuition costs of thousands of students each year.
According to the National Governors Association, taxpayers pay for half the cost of the nation’s medical expenses directly attributed to obesity. In the State of Rhode Island, that translates to $185 per taxpayer each year.
“We know from numerous studies that lifestyle changes can improve your health,” said Dr. Gifford, adding that lifestyle changes in health and exercise are 50 percent responsible for people living longer. The other 50 percent is attributed to your genes and advances in health care technology.
Gifford said Rhode Islanders looking to make lifestyle changes, particularly with exercise, should start out easy. “You don’t become a marathoner overnight, but there are little steps you can take like taking the stairs at work or parking a little further from the store.”
“As for diet, it’s really an issue of eating in moderation,” he said. “These things combined, as well as not smoking, are what will make people live longer.”
The Healthy Weight in 2008 initiative will help raise awareness and educate Rhode Islanders about the value of achieving and maintaining a healthy weight while promoting various programs and activities, including a physical activity challenge called “Millions of Minutes.” The challenge is based on the recommendation that individuals engage in at least 30 minutes of moderate physical activity or 20 minutes of vigorous physical activity most days a week. The program will launch in the spring, following the April 27 conclusion of the 2008 Shape Up Rhode Island campaign.
Community partners taking part in the Healthy Weight in 2008 initiative include: Shape Up Rhode Island, Rhode Island Department of Health’s Initiative for Healthy Weight, Neighborhood Health Plan of Rhode Island, UnitedHealthcare of New England, Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island's Health & Wellness Institute, Rhode Island Medical Society, Rhode Island Kids First, Department of Environmental Management,
Department of Elderly Affairs, YMCA of Greater Providence, and Preventure.
For more information on the new initiative, visit www.healthyweightin2008.ri.gov.