Covington County residents who need to team up with friends and address a growing problem in Alabama, still have time to enroll in Scale Back Alabama, the statewide weight-loss initiative designed to encourage residents to address weight problems.

The 10-week program, which is built around team participation and weigh-ins, has helped Alabamians drop almost a half million pounds in the past four years.

And we have it to lose.

Figures recently released from the Centers for Disease Control showed Alabama has some areas of the state in which 36 to 48 percent of adults are obese.

The contest encourages teams of four to commit to losing a pound a week for 10 weeks.

Every team that completes the 10-week contest with each team member losing at least 10 pounds will be included in a drawing for one of three grand prizes

Last year in Andalusia, 172 participants lost a total of 1,118 pounds.

Weigh-ins began Monday and continue from 7:30 a.m. until 2 p.m. today, Wed., Jan. 27, at Andalusia Regional Hospital. In Opp, Mizell Memorial Hospital will weigh teams today 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Find some friends, sign up and commit to a healthier you.