Shape Up Cape fitness campaign kicks off

News about America's obesity problems keeps changing, but one message remains: Exercise is important in warding off disease.

Even the new food pyramid guidelines include a recommendation of 30 minutes of moderate to vigorous exercise daily as part of a healthy diet and lifestyle. The pyramid guide at www.mypyramid.gov even offers tips for how to add more physical activity to your day while you add more fruits and vegetables, too.

In Cape Girardeau, area businesses are gearing up for the annual Shape Up Cape campaign. The four-month event sponsored by the Cape Girardeau Area Chamber of Commerce encourages people to exercise as part of a competition.

Chamber members form teams of up to 10 people who agree to exercise faithfully from May 14 through Sept. 24.

Each type of exercise is assigned a point value and each individual's points are added to the team totals. For example, walking for 20 minutes would earn a person only five points while jogging for that same amount of time would be worth 10 points.

The maximum a person can earn in a single day is 15 points.

The idea is that the more strenuous activity you do, the more points you get, said Nicole Rodriguez, Shape Up Cape coordinator.

Jay Wolz, who heads the chamber's health and wellness committee, said Shape Up Cape is such a success because it benefits both employers and participants.

"By encouraging exercise, physical fitness and a healthier lifestyle, in a roundabout way it's helping companies manage their health-care costs," he said.

During Shape Up Cape, each team's score is based on the averages of its individual members. Prizes are awarded for the teams with the highest point scores.

Weekly scores are posted on the chamber's Web site and will be printed in the Southeast Missourian.

ljohnston@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 126