Intermountain Press Release

Provo, Utah—As part of the ongoing LiVe public service campaign, Intermountain Healthcare and SelectHealth are expanding their efforts to combat childhood obesity in a new play that will be coming this week to five Utah County schools near you.

The new theater show is touring Utah this spring – aimed at students in schools across the state. LiVe - This is Your Life is a research-driven, thought-provoking, humorous show that helps adolescents take charge of their lives to grow up healthy and fit. The high-energy show addresses adolescent obesity, eating disorders, body image, and unhealthy media messages. The shows, which kicked off on Tuesday, February 5, and run throughout the spring, will reach at least 1300 Utah County students this week at Oak Canyon Junior High in Lindon, Orem Junior High, Dixon Middle School in Provo, and Suncrest and Scera Park Elementary Schools in Orem.

"We are concerned about the future health of adolescents who struggle with weight issues," says Tamara Lewis, MD, Intermountain's medical director for Community Health and Prevention. "These assemblies will reach more than 30,000 Utah students, helping young people make healthy choices and build good habits for the rest of their lives."

The cost of the play is being underwritten by SelectHealth and is free to Utah schools. The play will visit 75 of Utah's junior high and middle schools this spring, 75 in 2009, and 75 in 2010. Each school will receive a LiVe Teacher Activity Guidebook providing fun, hands-on lesson plans and reproducible activity sheets.

The Boston-based, Emmy Award winning production company, Foodplay Productions, developed the show for Intermountain Healthcare and SelectHealth.

The LiVe – This is Your Life show is part of Intermountain Healthcare's ongoing LiVe public service campaign to promote healthy eating and active lifestyles. The campaign's goal is to change attitudes of adolescents ages 11 to 15, by making it "cool" to be more active, watch less TV, shorten video game play and make healthier food choices. Other components of Intermountain's LiVe Campaign include an interactive Web site, educational materials for doctors and teachers and public service announcements on radio and TV.

Adolescent obesity rates have reached epidemic proportions in the United States with nearly 25 percent of teens now classified as obese, overweight or at risk of becoming overweight. According to the Centers for Disease Control the percentage of teens that are overweight and obese has doubled in the past three decades. Teen obesity can lead to serious health issues like asthma, diabetes and hypertension. Adolescents who are overweight or obese can also face social, psychological and emotional problems.

LiVe Assembly Schedule:

Oak Canyon Junior High (Lindon): February 19 – 9:25 a.m.

Orem Junior High: February 20 – 8:15 a.m.

Dixon Middle School (Provo): February 20 – 1:30 p.m.

Suncrest Elementary (Orem): February 22 – 9:30 a.m.

Scera Park Elementary (Orem): February 22 – 1:15 p.m.