By Stephanie Nelson

The Brewton Standard

There are three local sites for those wishing to participate in the state’s annual Scale Back Alabama weight-loss program – D.W. McMillan Hospital, the Escambia County Health Department and Auburn Coop Extension Office on Ag Science Drive.

During the statewide 10-week program, participants are encouraged to loose at least 10 pounds in an effort be eligible to win an assortment of prizes.

Individuals 18 years of age and older may participate by completing an online registration and then going to an official weigh-in site during the week of Jan. 25-31 to weigh in.

“It’s very difficult to quantify the tremendous benefits of Scale Back Alabama,” said Tom Miller, M.D., acting State Health Officer. “The evidence shows that obesity has serious health consequences, and unfortunately, Alabama ranks near the top in terms of adult obesity; however, it’s also been proven that programs like Scale Back Alabama that offer incentives, education and the accountability of a team member go a long way in encouraging healthy lifestyles.”

In an effort to garner support for the program, some 157 Alabamians stepped on a truck scale Friday and broke the Guinness World Record for the most people on one scale. A British company that succeeded in weighing 130 people at one time in 2010 to set the first record. The Alabama group weighed in at a collective 30,400 pounds to break that record and help kick off Scale Back Alabama’s 10th year.

Carolyn Bivins of Brewton, a regional extension agent, was among the Alabama group.

“It was a great way to show our partnership with the state in helping residents get healthy in a healthy way,” Bivins said of weigh-in.

A key change in this year’s program. Instead of requiring a four-person team, that number was reduced to two.

Scale Back Alabama is a public awareness program sponsored by the Alabama Hospital Association, the Alabama Department of Public Health and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama. One may register a team online at scalebackalabama.com before weighing in at one of the county’s three weigh-in sites.

For more information, contact Bivins at 251.867.7760; Tonya Thompson at DWM at 251.809.8308; or the health department at 251.867.5765.