A dance contest for the obesity era

Teens compete to log the most steps on a pedometer.

Katharine Mieszkowski

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Nov 11, 2005 | These days, you don't have to be John Travolta or Olivia Newton-John to win a teen dance contest.

At last night's annual dance in Watsonville, Calif., the town's teens shook it at the Rodriguez Youth Center, in a dance contest for the obesity age. Organizers provided kids with pedometers to log their every step. The winners of this contest weren't the dancers with the best moves, but the ones who had racked up the most steps by the end of the night.

The goal: to raise awareness about teen obesity and promote exercise, the Santa Cruz Sentinel reported. It seems like a good idea to get everyone on the dance floor moving as much as possible, instead of just showcasing the best booty-shakers. Too bad wearing a pedometer doesn't make jumping around in front of your peers any less mortifying.

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