New law aims to promote fitness after Gallup results

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — After a recent Gallup poll ranked West Virginia second in obesity, a new limited liability law that will allow school facilities to stay open after hours without fear of lawsuits was widely praised by health and school officials.

The law, which received bipartisan support, was unveiled with a ceremony at the playground of Charleston’s Mary C. Snow Elementary Tuesday. State Chief Health Officer Rahul Gupta said the law is an important step and an “evidence based approach” to turning the obesity trend around.

“I think this is a positive legislation for our state in which we are addressing obesity,” Gupta said. “This is a multi-faceted approach toward addressing the issue. It allows children and the community to use facilities after school through a shared use agreement.”

State Superintendent of Schools Michael Martirano thought that the new law would help promote more after school activities.

“It allows more groups who wanted to participate but maybe were concerned about liability to come in and assist our young people,” he said. “As I’ve stated many times, everyone is welcome at the table of education, and we need more individuals and adults to help us in that arena.”

Gupta said that in the past that schools have hesitated to open facilities after hours for fear of litigation. He thought that if West Virginia is to solve its obesity crisis, encouraging healthy eating habits and exercise has to start at a young age.

“As soon as kids start going to day care as well as school entry, you need to make sure healthy eating and physical activities become part of a lifestyle,” Gupta explained. “Because then we know from science that those things will be sustainable throughout life.”

In the recent Gallup poll on obesity, Mississippi was ranked the most obese state with 35.2 percent of the population. West Virginia came in just behind, with 34.3 percent. Louisiana, Arkansas and Oklahoma rounded out the top five. The slimmest state was Hawaii, with only 19 percent obesity.

The law went into effect on Memorial Day.





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