Impact Statement for   Melinda A McCulley

Planning Unit	009 - Barren County
Area	304 - Mammoth Cave
Reporting Year	2003
Last Updated	7/15/2003 6:35:05 PM
CMAP	5 - Promote Healthy Lifestyles
PAC	400 - Encourage lifestyles which improve health
Title	Addressing Overweight and Obesity in Youth and Adults

Impact Statement

Collaborative efforts are crucial to developing effective county programs. Throughout 2002-2003, collaborations have been instrumental in forming a strong foundation for Extension programming in Barren County.

According to the USDA, “today, we as a Nation are faced with a different and possibly more difficult and intractable crisis - that of obesity at epidemic proportions. Of particular concern is the problem of childhood obesity. Today, 1 in 5 children is overweight or obese. Childhood obesity is likely to persist into adult life and puts individuals at risk for stroke, hypertension, diabetes and other chronic diseases. It is also in childhood where eating habits are formed for a lifetime.”

Using data from school entry physicals for new kindergarten students and 6th grade physical reports, we have discovered that 22% of new kindergarten and 6th grade students in Barren County are overweight or obese. Additionally, another 10% are at-risk for becoming overweight.

Recognizing the importance of this critical issue for our county’s health, the county health department, the local schools and the Cooperative Extension Service have become committed to addressing this problem before we become a county in health crisis. It was determined that nutrition information that was easy to understand and incorporate into the family lifestyle had to be put in the hands of our young people and families.

First, all kindergarten students across the county received nutrition information through classroom presentations by the Family and Consumer Sciences agent and Health Department personnel. Additionally, children at all elementary grade levels received information to take home concerning proper nutrition, much of these take home items came from the Foodwise curriculum. Follow-up information will be provided each year and data will be collected from the physical reports each year. Final evaluation of the effectiveness of these interventions will be available when this year’s kindergarten student enter the 6th grade in 2008.

Cooperative Extension and Health Department personnel hosted a brown bag luncheon seminar addressing the problem of overweight and obesity in our youth and adults. Nearly thirty people attended the seminar and show of hands surveys indicated that 78% of participants were not previously aware of the scope of the overweight problems in our county. Our County Judge Executive noted that county health insurance premiums have become so high, that perhaps we could combat this problem by improving the health of our county residents. To bring awareness to the community and combat the problem, the health department and Cooperative Extension decided to form a Nutrition and Activity Coalition. The Coalition is made up of people from every walk of life in Barren County including homemakers, doctors, business people, industry and school personnel. Through the coalition we hope to encourage Barren Countians to get active and lose weight if necessary. Through a series of brown bag seminars, walking and weight loss challenges and public service announcements, we hope to become a county of healthier people.