W.Va. anti-obesity mascot turning up across US - Beckley, Bluefield & Lewisburg News, Weather, Sports

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

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% of West Virginians were considered obese. Carson says today, it's 68%.

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

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