Health summit seeks to snuff out smoking, obesity
By Sarah Daniel
The Sedalia Democrat
A group of people dedicated to improving health in Pettis County wants to put the smack down on butts -- both large ones and smoking ones.
The Blue Ribbon Health and Wellness Planning Team is focused on reducing tobacco use and obesity in the Pettis County.
The group hosted its second annual Community Health and Wellness Summit on Tuesday at the State Fair Community College Fred E. Davis Multipurpose Center. About 50 people attended the event.
Those attending the summit split into four groups to find ways to reduce obesity within the schools and child care centers, community, family and workplace. The groups used a Missouri plan as a skeleton to create goals.
"Obesity is actually a pandemic today, and it's right here in our community," said Dr. Michael Perusich, a member of a group.
Some of the suggestions included encouraging healthier foods in work vending machines and food banks; offering cooking classes on nutritional meals; improving sidewalks and street lights to promote walking; and creating planners of activities for schoolchildren.
The committee will research ways to execute the suggestions.
The Blue Ribbon health committee is also dedicated to making Pettis County smoke-free. Patrick Reynolds, grandson of tobacco company founder R.J. Reynolds, was the keynote speaker at the event. Mr. Reynolds quit smoking and divested his stock in RJR, which makes Camel and other cigarette brands, when his father and several other relatives died from smoking-related illnesses.
Mr. Reynolds, 57, is founder of the Foundation for a Smokefree America. His ultimate goal is for a smoke-free world.
"One day, we'll have a tobacco-free society," Mr. Reynolds said. "We'll be smoke free at last, smoke free at last. Great God almighty, we'll be smoke free at last."
A step toward this goal is Missouri Amendment 3, on the ballot for the Nov. 7 election, Mr. Reynolds said. The amendment would raise the cigarette tax rate from 17 cents per pack to 97 cents.
"This is a tax on tobacco. Tobacco is killing people. How can a tax on tobacco be a bad thing?" Mr. Reynolds said.
The Blue Ribbon health committee has compiled a list of non-smoking restaurants and plans to promote those businesses. Committee members also touted smoking bans at SFCC and Bothwell Regional Health Center as steps to reaching a smoke-free Pettis County.
The summit was underwritten through a grant from the Charles M. Nutt Estate and the American Heart Association, along with several other local sponsors.
Obesity in Missouri