Community Organizations Partner To Battle Childhood Obesity In Kansas City

The Generation XL Television Series Will Premier On KCPT At 8 p.m. January 31

January 30, 2008

KANSAS CITY - PE4life, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City, and Kansas City Public Television (KCPT) have teamed up to battle childhood obesity in Kansas City. On January 31, KCPT launches Generation XL, an extraordinary series of programs to examine the obstacles and challenges facing schools in their battle against sedentary lifestyles and bad eating habits among our children. The first show in this series will focus on an endangered species in America's schools, physical education classes, and will air Thursday, January 31 at 8 p.m. on KCPT public television.

As part of its focus on children's health in the community, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City is providing financial support to KCPT in this effort. PE4life is providing consultation for the series and will be featured in four of the six segments aired. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City is also funding a documentary on KCPT following Pitcher Elementary School as it develops a PE4life program during the current school year. This documentary is scheduled to air later this year on KCPT.

"We appreciate the leadership and support of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City and KCPT for raising awareness about the important issue of the health and wellness of our children," said Brenda VanLengen, Vice President of Operations for PE4life. "This generation of children is projected to be the first with a shorter life expectancy than their parents, because of their sedentary lifestyle, and as a community we are responsible to take action to not allow that to happen."

The first Generation XL production, focusing on policies related to physical education in schools, will feature various state representatives, school superintendents, and community leaders in a town hall forum. Kansas State Representative Pat Colloton, Missouri State Representative Judy Baker, Dr. Sarah Hampl of Children's Mercy Hospital, Mark Desetti of the Kansas National Education Association, Peter Yelorda with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City and Brenda VanLengen with PE4life were just a few of the fifteen influential participants of the town hall forum.

Peter Yelorda, Executive Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer stated, "Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City is devoting significant resources to enhance the health of the children in our community. The PE4life program is already making a remarkable difference in schools, and we wanted to help highlight those successes as a potential solution to the growing crisis of childhood obesity in our community."

Many participants agreed with the need to have appropriate physical activity available to children throughout their school day and praised Generation XL for bringing this to the public's attention. Representative Judy Baker of Columbia, MO, said, "Encouraging physical activity in schools is essential to both the well-being of our children and the achievement goals of our schools.

Kansas Representative Pat Colloton agreed, stating, "There is an obesity epidemic among our school children and our schools must include fitness education in their curriculum."

Dr. Sarah Hampl, MD, with Children's Mercy Hospital summed up the first Generation XL program well, "Getting key stakeholders in a room to discuss the need for more quality physical activity during the school day, the challenges associated with implementing this and the opportunities to work together is a great step toward helping kids and families reach or remain at a healthy weight."

About Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City, the largest not-for-profit health insurer in the state and the only not-for-profit commercial health insurer in Kansas City, has been changing lives in the Kansas City community since 1938. BCBSKC provides health coverage and wellness programs and support to its nearly 900,000 residents and community members in the greater Kansas City area and Northwest Missouri. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. For more information on the company, visit www.bcbskc.com. Our mission statement: We will use our role as the area's leading health insurer to provide affordable access to healthcare and to improve the health and wellness of our members.