Oklahoma City mayor, company team up to shed pounds

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April 5, 2011

By Kristi Eaton Associated Press Tue Apr 05, 2011, 10:41 AM CDT

OKLAHOMA CITY — Oklahoma City is well on its way to becoming the ultimate “Biggest Loser.”

Mayor Mick Cornett on Monday announced a partnership with Chesapeake Energy Corp. to help the city inch closer to a goal of losing 1 million pounds.

Officials from the independent energy company pledged “to go on a diet” for the mayor and contribute pounds lost toward his weight-loss initiative called OKC Million.

“Chesapeake has been a wonderful corporate citizen on many different levels, but this, obviously, is near to my heart, that is the health and wellness of the people of our city,” Cornett said.

Martha Burger, senior vice president of Human and Corporate Resources at Chesapeake, said employees will donate the pounds they lose in 2011 to the city’s goal.

In 2010, Chesapeake employees lost nearly 17,000 pounds and exercised 18.3 million minutes, she said.

Chesapeake employees are encouraged to participate in the company’s Living Well Program, which gives financial incentives for those who take part in regular exercise and other healthy habits. More than 6,500 took part in the program in 2010, according to company data.

Since the start of the OKC Million Initiative in 2008, Cornett said nearly 45,000 participants have lost more than 740,000 pounds. The weight-loss initiative is detailed on the website www.thiscityisgoingonadiet.com .

Cornett has challenged the city to address Oklahoma’s obesity problem. American Health Rankings ranks Oklahoma 46th, making it one of the least healthy states in the country, in part because of high rates of smoking and obesity.

“When we started this program we just felt the awareness of obesity, of the dangers of obesity, were not penetrating our citizens to the level that they needed,” he said. “We’ve got to start focusing on our health.”

In addition to the OKC Million, infrastructure changes as part of the city’s MAPS 3 revitalization efforts also will encourage healthier living, the mayor said. MAPS 3 calls for a 70-acre downtown park, more than 70 miles of additional sidewalks, more than 50 miles of trails and four Health and Wellness facilities for seniors.

“All of this structure change I think will help us with that cultural shift that this community so needs,” Cornett said.

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