INDIANAPOLIS - Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning helped launch a campaign with Ball State University and the Peyton Manning Children's Hospital at St. Vincent on Monday to help fight childhood obesity.
The initiative, dubbed Project 18 after Manning's number, aims to teach children in grades three through five how to stay active and make healthy choices.
State Health Commissioner Dr. Judith Monroe called childhood obesity "the critical public health problem" facing Indiana. She said nearly one-third of Hoosier children between the ages of 10 and 17 are overweight.
"Project 18 is just the kind of program that Indiana needs right now," Monroe said.
Associate professor of management Jennifer Bott was the faculty mentor for a group of 11 students from the Building Better Communities and Health Fellows programs. She said the students she worked with were at the core of developing Project 18. She said the students did everything from developing the program to working on the marketing.
Building Better Communities is an immersive learning program at Ball State that brings Indiana community partners together with students and university resources to discuss a problem. Health Fellows is part of Building Better Communities and helps organizations establish health programs.
Ashley Keebler is a Ball State student who worked on Project 18 and is now a public relations intern at St. Vincent. The team of students worked with Ball State dietitians to develop the curriculum being offered to schools, which was approved by experts at St. Vincent, Keebler said.
The project also includes a television advertising campaign and a Web site where parents, teachers and kids can learn about health strategies.
Marsh Supermarkets, which is also a partner, will be labeling Project 18 recommended foods in its stores. It will also host school groups looking to learn about nutrition information.
The event introducing Project 18 was held Monday at the Christel House Academy in Indianapolis, which is the first school to agree to adopt the curriculum.
Manning said that he doesn't see kids outside playing when he drives home, but that he would like to encourage them to be healthy.
"Take care of your bodies," Manning said. "Healthy living and eating and staying active as kids will help you reach your personal or professional goals."
Manning stressed the idea of a team of teachers, parents and health care workers committed to making sure kids stay healthy. He urged parents to monitor kids' habits and teach them better ones. He said children are at the right age to establish good habits and break bad ones.
Before leaving, Manning participated in stretching exercises with the students.
He also said he would visit the school that performed the best with Project 18.
To see the PSA's or learn more about Project 18 visit http://project18.stvincent.org or call (317) 338-KIDS (5437)
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