100,000-pounds lost is just a start for city
Mayor says he's confident that residents will hit goal of 1 million.
City's 100,000-pound weight loss doesn't diminish mayor's goals
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By Jessica Jackson
Published: July 20, 2008
Six months into the mayor's initiative for Oklahoma City to lose 1 million pounds, he is proud the city recently hit 100,000 pounds lost.
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Starting a dialogue about obesity
A citywide campaign may not be enough, said Adeline Yerkes, chief of Chronic Disease Service for the Oklahoma Health Department.
"I think it will help,” she said. "But it will not get us off the list because it has to be statewide.”
Chanda Davenport, 41, of Edmond is one of nearly 20,000 people who signed up on the initiative's Web site. She said she started participating at the beginning of January and it has helped her stay with the program and lose 50 pounds.
Davenport said she's happy with her progress but hopes to lose another 70 pounds.
The campaign has helped her stay focused on the diet, she said.
"I would really like to thank the mayor for putting the city on the diet because without this challenge, I wouldn't be where I am today,” she said.
Cornett said one goal is to open up dialogue about obesity.
"I sense that we've met a cultural shift at the way we look at obesity,” he said. "If that's true, then that's a landmark moment.”
Cornett said he hasn't set a timeline for reaching the weight loss goal but is confident the city will achieve it.
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