Center for Health Transformation Georgia Project

Healthier Holidays

I noticed an interesting trend in reviewing data on the Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index website.  Healthy behaviors begin to decrease in September and continue to decrease through December with an upward trend beginning in January.  The trend was seen in 2008 and 2009 data.  It will be interesting to see if the trend holds true in 2010.  It seems that holidays trigger unhealthy behaviors - over eating, eating foods high in fat and sugar, decreased exercise - followed by New Year resolutions that start a period of healthier behavior.

The data made me think about ways to have healthier holidays.  With Halloween coming up this weekend and Thanksgiving later in November, the challenge is to have celebrations that support a healthy lifestyle.  Cutting out some of the sugar in the Halloween treats [and the volume of treats] is certainly a place to start. 

Using less fat and sugar in preparing Thanksgiving dinner and  following  dinner with a family walk around the neighborhood would be a good tradition to start in 2010.  Small changes can have big results.  Would love to hear your suggestions for healthier holidays!

What Works in Schools?

As I was researching healthy community initiatives I came across a very helpful document at http://dhs.wisconsin.gov/health/physicalactivity/pdf_files/WhatWorksSchoolsfinal.pdf.  As childhood obesity continues to threaten the future of our country many commununity organizations are partnering with schools to make a difference.  Programs aimed at increasing physical activity, improving school lunch programs, addressing the vending machine choices, and educating students on healthy lifestyle are increasing.  An understanding of how to work within the school system is critical to the success of these programs.  Visit the Wisconsin website for some great ideas.

Do We Value Health?

As I've been working with some colleagues on a healthy communinity initiative we've been talking a lot about the state of the health of Americans.  With the statistics on obesity in this country, the lack of physical activity in our schools, the lack of healthy eating habits, and the resistance to change to a unhealthy behaviors, I don't think that the majority of Americans do value health.  There is a focus on health care  right now, but very little focus on health. 

Health requires that the individual take control and make the right choices.  Health is not always easy.  Health requires we change our behavior.  That we say 'no' to our children.  That we say 'no' to ourselves.  Let's spend a little less time finding ways for the government to take care of us and find ways to take care of ourselves.  Get the family to take a walk tonight after dinner; limit computer time; take the dog for a walk - make one change to make you and your family more active.  Find healthier ways to prepare your meals - use olive oil, switch to whole grain bread, add fresh vegetables [find your local farmer's market].  Make health a focus in your life.  Help your children form those habits that will bring them a lifetime of health; not those habits that will continue them on the unhealthy path the majority of Americans are on.

Healthy Holidays

  
   

As the holiday season is in full swing there are some great ideas to making this a healthy one.  The weight gain that many experience over the December holidays can be averted by making a few changes to old habits and traditions.  Try a few of theses suggestions: [1] include healthy alternatives in your holiday meals; [2] indulge a day or so over the holidays but don't use the 'season' as an excuse to make it a continuous behavior; [3] add a few healthy traditions such as a family walk after the holiday dinner; [4] try to cut some of the sugar and fat from your recipes where possible; [5] add a few healthier desserts to the table; [6] serve desserts in the 'mini-indulgent' style of many of the restaurants - a few bites of something sweet after dinner is sometimes enough.

Success of the Vitality Project in Albert Lea, MN

The Vitality Project in Albert Lea, MN came to it's official end on Tuesday evening.  A project spearheaded by Dan Buetter, founder of Blue Zones and supported by AARP and United Health Foundation, the project focused on changing the health of a community through a 6 week intensive application of those principles found to increase longevity.

Some of the successes of the project included the following: 2,300 people officially participated; a walking/biking trail was completed around Fountain Lake; thousands of feet of sidewalk were added; hundreds of kids walked to school in walking school buses and more than 600 citizens joined walking groups; nearly a thousand Albert Leans took part in purpose workshops; and two-thirds of locally owned restaurants added longevity-promoting foods to their menus.

For additional information on the community project in Albert Lea, MN visit:

Good Morning America

http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/VitalityProject/vitality-project-make-town-healthier/story?id=8818625

 

Front page story in the Pioneer Press

www.pioneerpress.com

 

AP story –

www.associatedpress.com

The Vitality Project provides an excellent model for other communities as they begin the journey to transform the health of their citizens.

As a follow up to the Microsoft HealthVault project "Be Well Columbus, Georgia" a video has been posted on the Microsoft HealthVault website highlighting the project.  Columbus, Georgia joins other health stories on the Microsoft website that embody Microsoft's vision to improve health around the world through software innovation.  Congratulations to the Columbus Research Foundation for leading this effort and getting Georgia 'on the map!'

The Recession and Weight Gain

There is discussion recently on the effect of the recession on our health - Newsweek recently reported on new data released exclusively to them from Gallup-Healthways showing that in the past year, the number of Americans considered obese has jumped by 1.7 percent—or almost 5.5 million people.  There is speculation that the increased stress from the recession and the added burden of the cost of fresh fruits and vegetables are leading to weight gain.

Activity and exercise are definitely healthy ways to cope with stress.  Share your ideas on healthy ways to manage stress in a down economy.  Share your experience with summer gardens and other solutions to getting fresh fruits and vegetables in your diet.

Make the Right Choice

On a cnn quick poll 74% of 6290 respondents identified motivation or lack of willpower as their biggest obstacle to losing weight or getting fit.  The next most frequently identified obstacle at 8% was finding a diet/fitness plan.  Only 5% of the respondents selected access to healthy food as their biggest obstacle.  It seems that for the majority of us the healthy choice is available, we just need to make it.  

One of the best pieces of advice I've heard recently related to this was from Dr. Oz, co-author of You: The Owners Manual and other health, diet and fitness books.  His advice is to make the decision at the grocery store, not your cupboard.  In other words,don't bring the unhealthy foods into your home in the first place.  Make it easy to make the right choice for you and your family.  This advice also applies to the choices in vending machines in schools and places of employment.  Lead an effort to get healthy choices where they belong!

Be Well Columbus, Georgia Awards Ceremony

The Be Well Columbus, Georgia Awards Ceremony was held on May 18th at Arnold Magnet Academy, school of the winning homeroom.  The Be Well Columbus, Georgia Project is a pilot project instituted through the Muscogee County School District 7^th graders and was made possible by a grant the Columbus Research Foundation received from the Microsoft HealthVault Be Well Fund.  During a three month period from January 17 until April 24, 2009, participating students were encouraged to increase their physical activity as they took a virtual walk across the United States and to check their daily meal, snack and drink intake.  This data was logged on the Be Well Columbus, Georgia/Walk to Microsoft website, which was developed specifically for this project. 

 

After words from Mayor Jim Wetherington, Bill Reid of Microsoft Corporation, Laura Linn of the Center for Health Transformation, Mike Gaymon of the Greater Columbus Chamber of Commerce, Valerie Fuller of the MCSD, and Susan Wood of the Muscogee County Council of PTA's, awards were presented to the students by Royce Ann Adkins and Pam Tinkler of the Columbus Research Foundation.

 

First place went to Mrs. Ronda Allen's homeroom at Arnold Magnet Academy.  The 7th grade students in this homeroom were the first to log enough miles walked to reach Bellevue, Washington, home of the Microsoft Corporation.  The 2nd place winner was the homeroom of Mrs. Sara Davis at Marshall Middle School; 3rd place went to the home room of Mrs. Melissa Niemi at Arnold. 

 

The overall goal of the project was to teach and instill healthy lifestyle choices in the area’s adolescents, thereby preventing diabetes and other metabolic disorders associated with being overweight.  Over 1000 students participated in the project.  It was encouraging to see adolescents engaged in their health.  This project serves as a great model for other communities interested in improving the health of their children.

Let's Commit to Changing the Trends in Childhood Obesity

Overweight and obesity is increasing in children.  CDC reports that data from NHANES surveys (1976–1980 and 2003–2006) show that the prevalence of obesity has increased  for children aged 2–5 years from 5.0% to 12.4%; for those aged 6–11 years from 6.5% to 17.0%; and for those aged 12–19 years from 5.0% to 17.6%.  According to the CDC, the increase in childhood obesity is due to the interaction of a number of factors, including genetic, behavioral, and environmental factors.  The result is a child who consumes more calories than they use and that causes overweight and obesity.

The major behavioral factors that lead to obesity include:

·         food intake

o   sugar-sweetened drinks

o   large portion sizes

o   frequent snacking on energy dense foods

·         physical activity

o   Daily participation in school physical education among adolescents dropped 14 percentage points over the last 13 years — from 42% in 1991 to 28% in 2003.

o   Less than one-third (28%) of high school students meet currently recommended levels of physical activity.

·         sedentary behavior

o   increased time spent watching TV, playing video games, and other computer activities.

Environmental factors that can influence a child’s behavior related to food intake and physical activity include home, child care, school, and community environments.

·         Home environment: parents are role models for their children.  A home environment that models healthy eating and physical activity has a positive impact on the health of the children.

·         Child care: almost 80% of children aged 5 years and younger with working mothers are in child care for 40 hours a week on average.  The approach to food and physical activity during this developmental time is critical to developing healthy habits.

·         Schools: physical education and healthy meals are basic responsibilities of the schools.  Implementing programs that create a culture of health in the schools is a goal that should be set.

·         Communities: access to physical activity opportunities and access to affordable and healthy foods in the community are keys to a healthy community.

As we develop ‘21^st Century Healthy Communities’ these factors are important to consider as a basis for solutions to the problems of overweight and obesity in our nation.  As we approach the summer months, make a resolution to implement one solution to improve food choices and one solution to increase activity in your family.  This can be as simple as changing from ‘sweet’ to ‘unsweet’ tea and taking a family walk after dinner.  Start your family on a healthier path today.