Extension Programs Focus on the Increasing Rate of Childhood Obesity

Auburn, July 28, 2004---The end of the summer means the beginning of a new school year. Students are busy buying new clothes and school supplies while teachers and administrators are ready for the year to begin.

A growing subject within Alabama schools is the rising rate of childhood obesity and Type II diabetes in young children, most of whom are obese.

Jean Weese, Extension food science specialist, recently did a study on childhood obesity, which included 400 fourth- and fifth-graders in Bullock, Macon and Wilcox counties. The study revealed the concentration of obesity in the Black Belt region of Alabama and one-third of Black Belt children either are or are in danger of becoming overweight.

But times are changing.

“Reversing Diabetes and Obesity Trends in Alabama Through the Promotion of Lifestyle Changes” was the theme for the Alabama Cooperative Extension System’s third annual Diabetes Conference in April. More than 100 participants including school nurses, diabetes educators and other health care professionals, gathered in Montgomery for the event.

The conference was sponsored by Extension, the Alabama affiliate of the American Diabetes Association and the Alabama Department of Public Health.

In 2004 and 2005, Extension will work with the Alabama Farmers Market and the Alabama Sports Festival to promote lifestyle changes of eating healthy and exercising in young children. The goal of this partnership is to halt the increasing rate of childhood obesity and the harmful affects that come with it, such as Type II diabetes and high blood pressure.

The Department of Agriculture and Industries and Congressman Artur Davis are also partnering with Extension to provide healthy lifestyle training to residents in the Black Belt. Perry and Dallas counties are number one and two in the state in obesity rates.

In June, Extension worked in conjunction with school nutrition administrators and education specialists to conduct 76 classes and workshops discussing Type II diabetes and childhood obesity issues with summer child nutrition managers. The goal of the workshops was to provide knowledge and skills to the managers to better respond to the issues of Type II diabetes and childhood obesity. Train-the-trainer workshops were held in Montgomery, Bay Minette, Birmingham and Huntsville.

“We talked to the nutrition managers about portion control and food preparation,” said Helen Herndon Jones, a regional Extension agent in southwest Alabama. One tip Jones gave to the managers was that food items should not touch during preparation.

During the training programs, Jones shared some trends that other school systems around the nation are doing, such as removing vending machines and foregoing the use of deep fryers when preparing food.

“A lot of the managers appreciated the information they received and said they would adapt these practices in their lunchroom,” said Jones.

Jones explained that the hardest but most effective way to instill healthy lifestyle habits in children is for parents and other family members to reinforce these habits at home.

Alabama and Mississippi alternate each year for first place as the state with the highest rate of obesity or diabetes. According to the Alabama Center for Health Statistics from 1998–2000 diabetes was the sixth leading cause of death in Alabama. Of the adult population in the state, 24.5 percent are overweight and 9.6 percent are estimated to have diabetes. Although childhood and adult obesity is more concentrated in the Black Belt region, the rise of diabetes is a health problem statewide.

Posted by Jim Langcuster at July 30, 2004 09:41 AM