Childhood obesity

[Jean Egan]

Joanne, we are all waiting, eagerly. The time is ripe!

-----Original Message-----
From: PHNUTR-L-owner at u.washington.edu
[mailto:PHNUTR-L-owner at u.washington.edu]On Behalf Of jikeda
Sent: Monday, July 02, 2001 12:22 PM
To: Public Health Nutrition Discussion and Information Group
Subject: Re: Childhood obesity


Dear Pamela,
         On July 19th we will be releasing our latest resource focusing on
the prevention of pediatric overweight for pilot-testing in various sites
throughout California.  We expect the pilot-test to take 3-4 months.  Then
we will revise the contents of the kit and make it available on a national
basis.  The kit will be priced under $100. and will contain everything
needed to form a community coalition for the purpose of changing the local
environment so it is more supportive of healthy lifestyles in children and
their families.  We feel this approach to pediatric overweight has the
greatest chance of making an impact on this problem.
          At this point in time we have produced just enough kits for the
pilot test in California and we are not in a position to share them with
other states. But we do plan to revise the kits and make them widely
available.  I will post information on the availability of the kit on
nutrition listserves by January 1, 2002.
Best Wishes...Joanne Ikeda


Children and Weight:
What Schools and Communities Can Do
Resource Kit

Project Summary

The Children and Weight: What Schools and Communities Can Do About It
Resource Kit is the most recent project in a series of materials on
childhood overweight developed through Cooperative Extension and the Center
for Weight and Health at the University of California.  The Children and
Weight series includes informative publications for parents as well as
health care professionals on this high profile public health concern.

As with previously published materials in the series, the overall goal of
the current project is to reduce the prevalence of childhood overweight in
California.

The current project aims to inspire local level action by empowering and
mobilizing communities to create opportunities for young people to eat
healthy and be physically active.

Empowerment approaches have great potential to improve the health and well
being of communities.  By virtue of their physical proximity to the problem
and their intimate knowledge of their community, local experts are best
suited to inspire, drive and sustain change efforts.

The Children and Weight: What Schools and Communities Can Do About It
Resource Kit will serve as a “how-to” guide offering technical assistance
to county level Cooperative Extension personnel (and other community
leaders) who wish to launch a local task force dedicated to preventing
childhood overweight.

The Resource Kit  includes:

·       Essential, up-to-date information on childhood overweight,
including:  prevalence, best-practices approaches for prevention, and
social concerns related to body image;
·       Explanation of rationale and philosophy for empowerment approach;
·       Guidelines for mapping community resources, identifying and
recruiting potential task force members, and discovering the range of
possible activities (based on the Spectrum of Prevention);
·       Guidelines for setting the group’s course:  developing vision,
mission, goals and objectives, and action plan;
·       Tips for facilitating effective meetings;
·       Step-by-step guides (including agendas, overheads and handouts) for
initial task force meetings;
·       Suggestions for how to help the group maintain momentum;
·       Extensive list of print and electronic resources on childhood
overweight as well as community building;
·       “Make A Change,” an inspiring video that shows different ways that
local communities have mobilized to improve kids’ access to nutritious
foods and fun ways to stay fit.

Community coalitions created through this project will likely undertake
projects that are as diverse as their membership.  The “Make a Change”
video shows how:

·       High school students have been empowered to advocate for healthy
options in their schools;
·       A community group has used culture as a centerpiece for organizing
physical activity for youth;
·       An elementary school has found support for after-school recreation
by partnering with various organizations in the community.

These are just a few examples of what can be accomplished by people who
come together with a shared concern and a common vision for the health of
their community’s children.  The Children and Weight: What Schools and
Communities Can Do” Resource Kit  will be made available  to County
Cooperative Extension offices in California in summer, 2001.  County
advisors will be on the lookout for local people who would like to join in
the effort!  To find out how you can get involved, contact your local
Cooperative Extension office.

This kit will be released on a national basis by January 1, 2002.



At 12:39 PM 7/2/01 -0400, you wrote:

>I apologize for the cross-posting.

>

>Here in Maryland we are in the process of designing a childhood obesity

>prevention intervention pilot  and a surveillance system.  Currently, we

>do not have any weight or health-behavior data on children.  We have very

>little funding to support this ($23,000) but are committed to the

>cause.  Are any other states involved in such endeavors?  Any guidance you

>could provide would be greatly appreciated!  Thanks.  Pam


Joanne P. Ikeda, MA,RD
Cooperative Extension Nutrition Education Specialist
Co-Director, Center for Weight and Health
223 Morgan Hall
Nutritional Sciences Department
University of California
Berkeley, CA 94720-3104
phone (510)642-2790
FAX (510)642-4160
email: jikeda at socrates.berkeley.edu