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Snyder Wants To Brainstorm Ways To Fight Obesity

LANSING (WWJ/AP) - Gov. Rick Snyder is asking attendees at a health summit to brainstorm ways to prevent and reduce obesity in Michigan.

The Republican governor spoke Wednesday at a meeting of roughly 500 health care professionals, educators, researchers and others at the Michigan Call to Action to Reduce and Prevent Obesity summit.

The state has the nation's eighth highest rate of obesity, affecting 32 percent of adults and 12 percent of children and youth.  According to a new report, from the group "Trust for America's Health, 30 percent of Michigan residents are obese.

Snyder says about $3 billion in annual medical costs are attributed to obesity.

Snyder wants to give children better access to healthier foods and exercise, and track pediatric obesity by asking doctors to add body mass index measurements of patients under 18 to a state registry.

Last week, Snyder unveiled his plan during a special message to the Legislature. During the event, Snyder himself stepped on the scale. He disclosed his body mass index, or BMI, which uses  height and weight to estimate body fat, as well as his blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar counts.

The Governor said he wants to install a scale at the Capitol for visitors to weigh themselves, reasoning that "there's no better way than measurement and the opportunity to do this together." (More on Snyder's plan, here).

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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