Theater Troupe Touring 225 Utah Schools To Improve Kids Health

As part of the ongoing LiVe public service campaign, Intermountain Healthcare and SelectHealth are expanding their efforts to combat childhood obesity with a play that will be coming soon to a school near you.

The 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.

"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 are reaching 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 visited 75 of Utah's elementary, junior high, and middle schools in 2008, 75 schools in 2009, and will be presented at an additional 75 schools in 2010. Each school receives a comprehensive follow-up resource kit, including fun, hands-on lesson plans and reproducible activity sheets.

The Massachusetts-based, Emmy Award winning nutrition media 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, and make healthier food choices. Other components of Intermountain's LiVe Campaign include an interactive website, 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 and Prevention, 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.

For more information about the LiVe Well program, visit the website at:

• Intermountain LiVe Well