West Virginia leads the nation in diabetes, heart attacks, and obesity, among others. One in four West Virginia 11-year-olds has high blood pressure and high cholesterol. One in five kindergartners is obese.
As one public health official said, “This is a public health emergency.”
Learn about the problem, meet people who are trying to bring those numbers down, and learn what you can do.
This ongoing project has been created with the help of the Dennis A. Hunt Fund for Health Journalism, administered by the California Endowment Health Journalism Fellowships at the University of Southern California's Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism.
The stories can also be viewed in chronological order at www.theshapewerein.wordpress.com
May 4, 2013
With little state leadership, communities find many ways to prevent obesity
All over the state, people are taking the lead. They're doing it, with or without state su ...
April 13, 2013
In Braxton County, fitness is economic development, too
Sutton Mayor J.L. Campbell was directing traffic for the yearly 5-kilometer run/walk. "I wa ...
March 30, 2013
After-school program is 'about a whole lot more than running'
When Jenni Fenton first heard about Girls on the Run, "I fell head over heels in love wit ...
March 23, 2013
KEYS 4 HealthyKids expanding to nine more counties
CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- In 2012, KEYS 4 HealthyKids groups created walking trails and parks, gr ...
February 24, 2013
158 schools enrolled in Healthy Schools Program
CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Former President Bill Clinton struggled with his weight as a child. Now his fou ...
February 24, 2013
Wellness program boosts attendance, test scores, discipline
February 23, 2013
'We're revising our own stereotype of ourselves,' says one health-conscious neighbor
February 23, 2013
"This is not happening by accident. We get more done together," says Williamson Mayor ...
February 23, 2013
Pieces coming together in Mingo County
Five years ago, Williamson Mayor Darrin McCormick was trying to figure out ...
January 5, 2013
Early trauma packed on pounds; grit and good support took them off
In one of Eric Duesenberry's first memories, people in white coats are bursting through the ...
January 1, 2013
Jim Phares, to be sworn in as state superintendent of schools on Wednesday, grew up in Elkins. " ...
December 31, 2012
CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- In 2005, "Charleston's insurance plan was going bust," said C ...
December 31, 2012
City of Charleston creates clinic, gym, drug plan, goes for prevention
CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- About 10 years ago, George Farley was packing on pounds as he moved from pr ...
December 25, 2012
On a rainy November day, 12 women pile into the New River Health ...
December 22, 2012
'Churches can be an important part of that'
December 22, 2012
Little Dove Baptist shows: 'It's something any church could easily do'
December 15, 2012
Hundreds of very heavy people offer insights on eating patterns
As part of his job, Dr. John Linton has talked with more than 500 West Virginians who weigh 30 ...
December 12, 2012
Soda pop bans, tobacco tax and use of school exercise facilities urged
November 17, 2012
Medicaid: 'There are dramatic savings to be had'
November 18, 2012
State trying to spread diabetes self-help to every county
November 17, 2012
Clinic's success keeps patients out of hospitals, saves money
November 3, 2012
1 in 20 W.Va. kids have risk marker for diabetes
October 11, 2012
Top officials of the Appalachian Regional Commission and the Centers for Disease Control said T ...
October 6, 2012
'If that guy can whip himself into shape ...'
At 6 a.m. on his 50th birthday Friday, Brad Deel started running in Huntington. "Four years ...
September 29, 2012
They lead very different lives. CaCoe Manley is a 39-year-old co ...
September 23, 2012
In central W.Va., 52 percent more moms nurse babies for six months
September 22, 2012
Breastfeeding lowers risk of obesity, many diseases
At 25 of West Virginia's 29 childbirth hospitals, when a mot ...
September 22, 2012
'About 4,000 mommies have my phone number'
Ready to go home with her new baby, Vanessa Walker was still making up ...
July 22, 2012
Wyoming County official: Road planners can fight diabetes, heart disease
July 1, 2012
June 30, 2012
Groups forming in county with little help from the state
A few weeks after Tim Harclerode started as chief operating officer at Logan Regional M ...
June 30, 2012
A list of diabetes self-management services in W.Va.
Trying to find diabetes education services "is like trying to find pieces of a jig ...
June 30, 2012
Newspaper pulls together list
"I read that story in the paper and was hoping you could help me," Carolyn said. & ...
June 26, 2012
West Virginia must invest now in programs to promote wellness and physical fitness in child ...
June 2, 2012
National TV crew films as Mud River weight warriors celebrate
May 20, 2012
Blessed by music, bummed by diabetes
The choir's up front in the Nazarene Church, Saturday morning, running thro ...
May 19, 2012
With support of town, he keeps it off
Sixteen-year-old Benji Willis got up at 5:55 a.m., ate a breakfast bar, then un ...
May 5, 2012
Group executive blames economy; vows January return
May 5, 2012
A new website invites West Virginians to find help, inspiration and information to supp ...
May 5, 2012
'Jesus and Cabin Creek Clinic delivered me from food'
Freida Smith lives up Campbell's Creek "on a road where it's so qui ...
April 30, 2012
Appalachian myth stands in way of prevention, expert says
"West Virginia patients come into my office," Dr. Frank Schwartz said, "and ...
April 29, 2012
6,000 diabetics, but no diabetes education ... yet
Once a week, Anise Nash drives to Logan County, home of Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin, ...
April 28, 2012
'It's up to you whether you do or you don't'
The winter of 2010-11, it snowed a lot in Mingo County. Fifty-four-year-old Everette Ra ...
April 28, 2012
'Diabetes is not for sissies'
For four hours, Bill Hall used to lie on a padded vinyl recliner, one arm stretched out ...
April 28, 2012
'We can beat that old sugar'
BELINGTON, W.Va. -- Glenda Blake grew up in Barbour County, an ornery little round-face ...
April 28, 2012
Deadly epidemic 'exploding in front of us'
Think about this: More than 200,000 West Virginians have contracted a d ...
April 9, 2012
Mingo County stages breakfast revolution in schools
On a chilly morning, at ...
April 8, 2012
Duerring: 'We're backing up and trying again'
Last August, all 261 Kanawha County school cooks were abruptly ordered to quit serv ...
April 7, 2012
Kindergartners swarmed around th ...
March 31, 2012
West Virginia has the nation's worst statistics in 10 of 12 categories in the new 2011 Gallu ...
February 25, 2012
More than 30 years ago, Ric McDowell helped start a Lincoln County summer c ...
February 20, 2012
Can W.Va. do the same?
In 2005, almost four out of 10 kids in the Kearney, Neb., school ...
February 19, 2012
Wood County school helps get kids fit before they sit
It's 7:15 a.m., still dark outside Wood Coun ...
February 12, 2012
"We can beat this," said Dr. Alan Ducatman, interi ...
February 12, 2012
You can prevent, control diabetes
Dannie Cunningham, 61, climbed the steep hil ...
February 12, 2012
Nurse Devena Moore, Dannie Cunningham's health coach, directs the diabetes ...
February 11, 2012
Jenni, a young teenager, sat on a West Virginia Universi ...
February 11, 2012
One in four 11-year-olds faces high blood pressure, cholesterol, obesity
"Every week, I see 12-year- ...
February 11, 2012
Children at risk of chronic disease identified, but who follows up on care?
Every year, for 12 years, Lincoln County school nurse Pa ...
December 31, 2011
West Virginians inspire each other to get healthy
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