W.Va. anti-obesity mascot turning up across US - WVVA TV Bluefield Beckley WV News, Weather and Sports

W.Va. anti-obesity mascot turning up across US

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MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (AP) -- The West Virginia creators of a lean, green superhero for health hope the furry critter they call Choosy will soon become a national ambassador against childhood obesity.

Choosy is on posters in Head Start offices nationwide. He's got music CDs, including one released last month in Spanish. He's even on exam-table paper in South Carolina clinics.

Retired West Virginia University professor Linda Carson runs Choosy Kids LLC. She says the idea behind Choosy is to expose preschool-age children often so they'll make healthy choices before learning bad habits.

Choosy stands for Choose Health Options Often & Start Young.

Fifteen years ago, about 54 percent of West Virginians were considered obese. Carson says today, it's 68 percent.

West Virginia is in trouble, she says, and focusing on its youngest might help.

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