NATCHEZ &045; A pepper-haired man in a yellow polo jumped onto a chair, waving his hands side to side as he lip synched to the tune of Chicago’s &uot;Old Days.&uot;

But although Dr. Greg Little’s performance was full of energy, the message behind it was dead serious.

Dr. Greg Little of Mississippi State Hospital was at the convention center Friday as part of the Looking’ to the Future Conference. His first message for seminar participants: Mississippi ranks second in the nation for obesity.

A chronic disease caused by excess fat, obesity is a growing crisis in America, a place where health education is prevalent.

According to a report from USA Today, employers and privately insured families spent $36.5 billion on obesity-linked illnesses in 2002; health care spending rose 9.5 percent that year.

Little spoke to representatives from Natchez businesses and organizations about the importance of movement, not exercise.

Hitting balls in the air and playing Hula Pass, a game in which players pass a hula hoop in a circle without breaking joined hands, is from a &uot;New Games&uot; program that encourages non-traditional interactive physical activity for individuals who aren’t athletically inclined. &uot;It’s not exercise, it’s movement,&uot; Little said.

One activity or method the program endorses is the simple joy of laughing. Little said people who laugh more eat less and are less stressed. He said fun activities result in longevity and build teamwork skills.

&uot;All these things here look very silly, but they do work,&uot; said Art Bressler, who helped with the presentation. Bressler and Little work with children at the Mississippi State Hospital.

Bressler said the activities are designed so there’s no winner or loser in the game. &uot;People with low self-esteem need games where they don’t lose,&uot; Little said.

He said children want to be active, but some are uncomfortable and embarrassed to play common sports where they often lose and are criticized by peers.

&uot;These are non-traditional activities every kid can enjoy,&uot; Bressler said.

But from the flow of laughter in the room, adults can enjoy the games, too. Participant Etta Simmons said she plans to use the interactive games and exercises with her son and other relatives. &uot;They’re exercises that you would do to lose weight unknowingly,&uot; Simmons said.

Speaker Dr. Brent Fountain of the Department of Food Science, Nutrition and Health Promotion at Mississippi State University, said one of the reasons obesity is so prevalent in the South is due to structural and economic problems of rural towns, like lack of sidewalks on streets and walking trails for free exercise.

He also said it is hard to get lower fat and organic foods in small rural towns, especially in the South. He said there should be more food options in convenient stores and markets in small towns. &uot;We need to take economic development to a new level,&uot; he said.

Fountain said Natchez has many spaces that are walking accessible and hopes the spaces are being used by residents to walk and exercise.

He also touched on how one’s environment and behavior contribute to obesity. &uot;Genetics loads the gun, but environment pulls the trigger,&uot; Fountain said.

He said routines of a healthy diet and exercise start in the home. Fountain said the problem of obesity must be addressed in the homes, not just the schools. He said that like dominos, diet and exercise routines are passed on from generation to generation unless someone stops the cycle.

Dean Morrison, registered dietician at Methodist Rehabilitation Center in Jackson, and Dr. David Collipp, medical director of the rehabilitation surgery program at Methodist, suggest healthy diet, consistent exercise and regular physician checkups. Some tips they offered:

4Engage in regular exercise. Even in small increments, regular exercise provides significant heart benefits. Strive for 30 minutes most days of the week.

4Keep healthy snacks handy. To avoid vending machine raids or drive-through pitfalls, stock up on healthy snacks such as yogurt, fruit, salt-free pretzels or low-fat popcorn.

4Drink lots of water. Water helps you feel full and avoids dehydration headache. It also helps kidneys do their filtering work to rid your body of toxins.

4Track your progress and have rewards. Tracking your progress makes you more accountable for your actions and rewards help you stay focused on your overall goal.

4Reduce time spent watching TV and other sedentary behaviors. Take a walk after dinner instead of watching television.

4Eat only when you’re hungry. Start serving food on smaller plates and gradually decrease portion sizes. Be sure to eat only until you are satisfied and not beyond.

4Make an effort to learn about healthy eating and living. Don’t just focus on fat-free, low carb or other fad diets. Focus on increasing healhy habits and decreasing unhealthy habits.

Community Editor

Joan Gandy

contributed to this report.