UT Medical Center Teams Up With America on the Move

Published: Tuesday, October 2, 2007

Tennessee ranks as the fifth most obese state in the nation, according to a recent study by the Trust for America’s Health. The study shows 27.8 percent of Tennesseans – that’s more than one in four – are considered obese. News about expanding waistlines in the Volunteer state is a cause for concern from a public health standpoint and a wake up call about the need to inform people about eating right and becoming more active, according to officials with The University of Tennessee Medical Center.

A partnership between UT Medical Center’s Heart Lung Vascular Institute and America on the Move in Tennessee will bring that information to people as they work toward a healthier lifestyle. UT Medical Center will serve as the exclusive medical services provider partner in the America on the Move campaign for the East Tennessee region.

“The Heart Lung Vascular Institute is proud to partner with a program that provides individuals with a customized program to assist them in making incremental changes that lead to improved health,” said Teresa Levey, vice president of the Heart Lung Vascular Institute at UT Medical Center. “Increasing our exercise level and monitoring dietary intake can significantly reduce the risks of cardiovascular disease.”

Levey and many others at UT Medical Center are encouraging employees and community members to join America on the Move. Staff members with the Heart Lung Vascular Institute are also educating patients on the simple changes they can make to improve their overall health.

Simple Steps to a Better You
America on the Move is a national movement that encourages people to make simple lifestyle changes in order to improve their overall health. Research by America on the Move shows small, specific changes in eating and physical activity can have a positive effect on health and effectively stop weight gain. In order to have positive changes, America on the Move encourages participants to eat 100 fewer calories every day and walk 2,000 more steps each day than they typically would.

Here are three tips to helping you eat 100 fewer calories.

Choose tuna packed in water instead of tuna packed in oil
Drink diet soda instead of regular
Eat frozen yogurt instead of ice cream

Here are some tips to help you walk 2,000 steps more.

Walk to a co-worker’s desk instead of calling them or sending them an e-mail
Take your dog for a walk
Take the stairs when possible instead of the elevator
Take trips to zoos and museums where walking will be much more fun

To join America on the Move or for more tips on how to live a healthier lifestyle, visit www.americaonthemove.org. Through the sponsorship support of organizations such as UT Medical Center, America on the Move is able to provide free web-based programs, tools and resources to individuals, families, groups and communities of all types and sizes.

About America on the Move Foundation
America on the Move Foundation (AOM) is the leading non-profit organization fighting the obesity epidemic by providing proven consumer-focused solutions for individuals, families, organizations and communities. Through its programs and outreach, AOM initiates and maintains meaningful and measurable individual, social and environmental behavior changes that support healthy eating and active living habits in our society. AOM’s science-based programs provide the support and tools that help individuals of all ages manage weight effectively through energy balance. All programs are available at www.americaonthemove.org.

About The University of Tennessee Medical Center
The University of Tennessee Medical Center is a 581-bed, not-for-profit academic medical center, which serves as a referral center for Eastern Tennessee, Southeast Kentucky and Western North Carolina. The Medical Center, the region’s only Level I Trauma Center, is one of the largest employers in Knoxville. For more information about the University of Tennessee Medical Center, visit online at www.utmedicalcenter.org.