Manning helps kick off Project 18

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) - Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning is lending his name and number to a new effort aimed at tackling childhood obesity.

Manning, Peyton Manning Children’s Hospital at St. Vincent’s, and several other partners including Ball State University helped kick off Project 18 at the Christel House Academy Monday morning.

State Health Commissioner Judy Monroe is behind the new initiative. She says almost a third of Indiana children are overweight and are more likely to develop high blood pressure, cholesterol, diabetes and even depression

" Project 18" hopes to shrink that figure and waistlines through nutrition, physical activity, and the health of the whole mind and body. The simple goal: Get kids to eat better and be more active.

"As a professional athlete I understand the importance of eating right, and getting in all of my workouts. And I model my daily routine after a program that mirrors project 18 key areas of focus," said Manning. "It's got to be in the schools and the home. We have got to teach parents to teamwork process."

Public service announcements will soon be shown on TV. Organizers are also taking the project on the road with a Project 18 Tour that started this month and will run all summer, possibly longer.

"If he's coming home and he goes right to the computer, right there to the video games, that's not what we want. We want the kid, the child, active eating right it's got to be a team work process," said Manning.

Marsh is also one of the sponsors and will highlight Project 18 approved foods in their stores.