As the nation gets fatter, the residents of Wells County, Ind., have gotten slimmer and are exercising more. They have "Dumped Their Plump" and have quite literally lost more than a ton of weight, thanks to Operation Wellness (www.operationwellness.org).

Wells County isn't a place where residents historically embrace healthful living, either. In this rural community, it's common to eat heavy, multi-course meals for lunch and dinner; cereal is for kids, and a "real" breakfast consists of large helpings of eggs and bacon, ham and sausage, said Carol Friesen, associate professor of family and consumer sciences and coordinator of Operation Wellness.

"What's impressive is that the improvements in health cross all genders and age groups," she said. "We continue to receive letters, e-mails and phone calls from people thanking us for offering the program and urging us to continue it."

For example, Terry Biberstine lost nearly 25 pounds during a workplace weight-loss challenge. She didn't do it by crash dieting, either. By making key lifestyle changes adopted during the program, which include eating healthful foods and exercising regularly, she's lost 70 pounds and 44 inches - and she'll keep it off.

Marcia Hotopp's dramatic improvement in her bone density has inspired her doctor to call her the poster child of Operation Wellness.

There's also "Brian," a 12-year-old whose extreme obesity caused him to be chronically shy. While his waistline is shrinking - he's lost 25 pounds through walking and eating right - his confidence and outgoing personality are growing. Tyler Earney was so inspired by the program that he created the Operation Wellness walking trail as his Eagle Project to earn the Boy Scouts' highest rank.

Through Ball State's Building Better Communities initiative, the university is improving Indiana one community at a time. By securing $1 million in grants and coordinating Operation Wellness with many community partners, Ball State has helped the county write and implement wellness plans for each of its school districts and launched aerobics, walking and circuit training programs for adults, and much more, Friesen added.

Biberstine participated on a "Dump Your Plump" weight-loss team, one of many ongoing workplace initiatives. The children improved their health through a number of wellness programs launched within the county's three school districts, which removed soda machines and fried foods from schools.

These initiatives are crucial as combating obesity is critical to Indiana and the nation's future. According to a June 27 article in The Indianapolis Star, obesity-related diseases cost Indiana more than $1.6 billion in 2000. Indiana's obesity rate - in excess of 25 percent - ranks ninth in the nation. As a result, "Indiana's Medicare and Medicaid expenses for obesity-related illnesses are already high and increasing," said the Star.

Operation Wellness was launched in 2003 when the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, a national philanthropy dedicated to improving the health and health care of Americans, awarded the university $450,000. Locally, the Caylor-Nickel Foundation and other local initiative funding partners in Wells County exceeded the grant's matching-funds requirement and donated $550,000.