Issue Category: Obesity/Chronic Disease

Countering Childhood Obesity in Georgia

Countering Childhood Obesity in Georgia

Georgia Shape, a statewide multifaceted initiative, seeks to advance the health and well-being of children by utilizing a cross-sectors approach to tackle childhood obesity in the state.

By cultivating strong relationships with institutions throughout the State, Georgia Shape has been able to focus on upstream interventions, namely providing time in each students’ day for physical activity. Upstream interventions refer to programs and policies that impact the root causes of health or social conditions.

Through the development of community-wide interventions, particularly Georgia Shapes’ ‘Power Up for 30’ program, rates of childhood obesity in Georgia have started to  decrease. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention recognizes school based programs to increase physical activity, such as ‘Power Up for 30’, as one of fourteen non-clinical community-wide interventions that can lead to cost-effective and cost-saving health outcomes within five years.

How It Took ‘Shape’

After the implementation of the 2009 Georgia Student Health and Physical Education Act (SHAPE), Georgia Shape was created to end the increasing rates of obesity among children in the state. In 2011, the Governor declared childhood obesity prevention as the number one public health priority and state leaders understood the importance of bridging the efforts of multi-sector partners to bolster the goals set forth by SHAPE. A governing council comprised of experts from a variety of disciplines was established to ensure that multiple perspectives were considered. Through the utilization of an obesity systems modelling program, factors contributing to obesity were identified, including a substantial lack of physical activity.

The overall goal of Power Up for 30 is to promote and protect the health of all children by incorporating 30 minutes of physical activity before, during, or after each school day. In collaboration with researchers, the Georgia Department of Public Health developed a comprehensive model to strategically focus and measure the health and economic impacts of school-based programs to increase physical activity.

The Power Up for 30 Model

Implementation of ‘Power Up for 30’ in schools relied on the support and acceptance of school superintendents and educators. Georgia Shape was promoted throughout elementary schools with messaging tailored to the interests of teachers and administrators to help garner support and establish applicability for the intervention. Tailored messages emphasized the benefits school principals, physical education teachers, and classroom teachers each prioritized including improved attendance and discipline, improved health, and improved academic performance. By identifying perceived barriers in each school, program developers were able to mold ‘Power Up For 30’ to fit each school’s specific environment and/or needs and assist teachers and administrators in achieving their respective goals.

School Based Activity Programs Increase School Based Activity Programs Decrease
●     School attendance

●     Academic performance

●     Concentration and attention in the classroom

●     Scores on State competency tests

●     Physically activity in the classroom

 ●     Childhood Obesity

●     Number of students receiving discipline

●     Negative health outcomes

Shape encouraged the utilization of physically active academic lessons as both a supplement to physical education in schools and to complement student learning. Former teachers served as subject matter experts to ensure the design of the program incorporated the realities of what would work in the classroom. Furthermore, the former teachers lent their knowledge of the unique needs of specific communities, which helped increase the programs ability to fit the diverse norms of different school environments.

In order to measure the effects of the intervention, the program assessed health knowledge, classroom physical activity time, time spent doing moderate to vigorous activity during physical education, availability of before school activity programs, and student aerobic capacity and BMI. For each school, data was compiled to discern the best available strategies for increasing physical activity within their individual environments. Buy-in and engagement was created at the individual school levels by training at least one administrator, one physical education teacher, and one classroom teacher to lead the ‘Power Up for 30’ program in their respective schools. Cultivating within-the-school leaders for the Power Up 30 program was a key to its success.

Success and Sustainability

At the beginning of 2012 the Power Up for 30 program launched across 40 Georgia elementary schools. ‘Power Up for 30’ expanded from a 5-county pilot program to a statewide approach by the 2013-2014 school year. As of 2016, more than 880 schools enlisted in Power Up for 30. Initially an elementary school pilot, ‘Power Up for 30’ is now embedded into Georgia’s elementary school educational curriculum and augmented to incorporate a middle school pilot.

Georgia Shape’s success in large part is due to its more than 120 partnerships and its sustainable and adaptable practices. Through utilizing evidence-based and sustainable models such as online training modules, low or no cost resources, free training, and continuous technical support, the Power Up for 30 program supports the implementation needs of all schools and educators. Assistance from public and private sector partners, such as the Georgia Department of Education, Department of Child and Family Services, the CDC, and corporate sponsors have been vital to Georgia Shapes’ achievements in tackling childhood obesity and protecting the health of every child.

For more information visit:

http://georgiashape.org/

(December 2018)

The State of Obesity 2018

«state_headline»

Report emphasizes urgent need to increase evidence-based obesity prevention programs to prevent disease and potentially save billions in healthcare spending

«lead_graph»

Findings include:

  • Adult obesity rates vary considerably from state to state, with a high of 38.1 percent in West Virginia and a low of 22.6 percent in Colorado. No state had a statistically significant improvement in its obesity rate over the past year.
  • Adult obesity rates are at or above 35 percent in seven states; for the first time in Iowa and Oklahoma, and at least the second time in Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and West Virginia.
  • Six states — Iowa, Massachusetts, Ohio, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, and South Carolina — saw their adult obesity rates increase significantly between 2016 and 2017.
  • Adult obesity rates are between 30 and 35 percent in 22 states and 19 states have adult obesity rates between 25 and 30 percent.
  • Over the past five years (2012 – 2017), 31 states had statistically significant increases in their obesity rate and no state had a statistically significant decrease in its obesity rate.
  • There continue to be striking racial and ethnic disparities in obesity rates. In 31 states, the adult obesity rate among Blacks is at or above 35 percent.  Latino adults have obesity at a rate at or above 35 percent in eight states.  White adults have obesity rates at or above 35 percent in one state. Nationally, the adult obesity rates for Latinos, Blacks and Whites are 47.0 percent, 46.8 percent and 37.9 percent respectively.

State by State rates of obesity among adults: 1 = highest rate of obesity, 51 = lowest rate

  1. West Virginia (38.1%), 2. Mississippi (37.3%), 3. Oklahoma (36.5%), 4. Iowa (36.4%), 5. Alabama (36.3%), 6. Louisiana (36.2%), 7. Arkansas (35.0%), 8. Kentucky (34.3%), 9. Alaska (34.2 %), 10. South Carolina (34.1%), 11. Ohio (33.8%), 12. Indiana (33.6%), 13. North Dakota (33.2%), 14. Texas (33.0%), 15. Tie Tennessee and Nebraska (32.8%), 17. Missouri (32.5%), 18. Kansas (32.4%), 19. Michigan (32.3%), 20. North Carolina (32.1%), 21. Wisconsin (32.0%), 22. South Dakota (31.9%), 23. Delaware (31.8%), 24. Tie Pennsylvania and Georgia (31.6%), 26. Maryland (31.3%), 27. Illinois (31.1%), 28. Virginia (30.1%), 29. Rhode Island (30.0%), 30. Arizona (29.5%), 31. Oregon (29.4%), 32. Idaho (29.3%), 33. Maine (29.1%), 34. Wyoming (28.8%), 35. Tie Minnesota, Florida and New Mexico (28.4%), 38. New Hampshire (28.1%), 39. Washington (27.7%), 40. Vermont (27.6%), 41. New Jersey (27.3%), 42. Connecticut (26.9%), 43. Nevada (26.7%), 44. Massachusetts (25.9%), 45. New York (25.7%), 46. Tie Montana and Utah (25.3%), 48. California (25.1%), 49. Hawaii (23.8 %), 50. District of Columbia (23.0%), 51. Colorado (22.6 %).

NOTE to reporters: See full report at TFAH.org/ObesityReport2018 and StateofObesity.org for state-by-state obesity rates, data interactives, priority policy summaries, and briefs for all 50 states.

“Obesity is a complex and often intractable problem and America’s obesity epidemic continues to have serious health and cost consequences for individuals, their families and our nation,” said John Auerbach, president and CEO of Trust for America’s Health. “The good news is that there is growing evidence that certain prevention programs can reverse these trends.  But we won’t see meaningful declines in state and national obesity rates until they are implemented throughout the nation and receive sustained support.”

Obesity is a problem in virtually every city and town, and every income and social sector.  But its impact is most serious in communities where conditions make access to healthy foods and regular physical activity more difficult, such as lower income and rural areas, including many communities of color.

The national costs of obesity are enormous.  Obesity drives an estimated $149 billion annually in directly related healthcare spending, and an additional $66 billion annually in lowered economic productivity. Also, one in three young adults is ineligible for military service, owing to being overweight, posing a national security vulnerability.

Evidence-based programs, policies and practices to reverse the obesity trend are known but need widespread implementation.

“Obesity is a major challenge in nearly every state and our role as public health leaders is to ensure we’re doing everything we can to address it,” said John Wiesman, president of the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO) and secretary of health at the Washington State Department of Health. “Our goal at the state level is to work across sectors to advocate for and implement evidence-based policies that encourage active healthy living and support healthy and safe communities that provide access to healthy foods, physical activity, and clinical preventive services.”

Recommendations

The report offers 40 recommendations for federal, state and local policymakers; the restaurant and food industries; and the healthcare system, including:

  • Support and expand policies and programs aimed at addressing obesity at the federal, state and community levels, including programs in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity and Obesity, and community health programs like the Racial and Ethnic Approaches for Community Health program (REACH), and programs that focus on school health in CDC’s Division of Population Health.
  • Maintain and strengthen essential nutrition supports for low-income children, families and individuals through programs — like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) in the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and expand programs and pilots to make healthy food more available and affordable through the program.
  • Maintain nutrition standards for school meals that were in effect prior to USDA’s interim final rule from November 2017, as well as current nutrition standards for school snacks.
  • States should ensure that all students receive at least 60 minutes of physical education or activity during each school day.
  • Medicare should encourage eligible beneficiaries to enroll in obesity counseling as a covered benefit, and, evaluate its use and effectiveness. Health plans, medical schools, continuing medical education, and public health departments should raise awareness about the need and availability of these services.
  • Food and beverage companies should eliminate children’s exposure to advertising and marketing of unhealthy products.
  • Hospitals should no longer sell or serve sugary drinks on their campuses; they should also improve the nutritional quality of meals and promote breastfeeding.

# # # 

Trust for America’s Health is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that promotes optimal health for every person and community and makes the prevention of illness and injury a national priority.  www.tfah.org

TFAH Applauds Passage of Senate Farm Bill

(Washington, D.C., June 29, 2018) – John Auerbach, president and CEO, of Trust for America’s Health (TFAH) today made the following statement regarding Senate passage of “Farm Bill” legislation (the Agriculture Improvement Act – Senate amendment to H.R. 2) to reauthorize key federal agricultural and nutrition programs.

“The Trust for America’s Health is pleased the U.S. Senate has completed work on Farm Bill legislation that will support and promote good nutrition and improved health outcomes. By rejecting the approach taken by the House, the Senate bill largely protects and strengthens the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which serves as a critical lifeline to millions of American children and families that otherwise lack the means to access adequate nourishment and make healthy food choices.

In addition to increases in funding to the Food Insecurity Nutrition Incentive Pilot, the Senate bill includes a Harvesting Health pilot that would help to further promote linkages between health care providers and anti-hunger and nutrition improvement activities.

According to TFAH’s State of Obesity report, roughly two out of every three adults or one out of every three children is either obese or overweight. Obesity remains both a significant public health crisis and a national security issue-being overweight or obese is the leading cause of medical disqualifications for military service, with nearly one-quarter of applicants being rejected for exceeding the weight or body fat standards. Additionally, obesity translates to higher health care costs and poor quality of life.

Many efforts are underway that encourage SNAP recipients to make healthy food choices; for example, incentive programs to use SNAP benefits at farmers’ markets. Such efforts, combined with other prevention programs and policies, have been shown to be effective. We must now continue to invest in and scale such approaches to help Americans eat healthier. SNAP and other Farm Bill programs will be critical to turning the tide against this longstanding health problem.

TFAH looks forward to continuing to work with Congress through the conference process as it develops a final Farm Bill that will lead us in the right direction, towards improving the health and prosperity of all Americans.”

# # #

Trust for America’s Health is a non-profit, non-partisan organization dedicated to saving lives by protecting the health of every community and working to make disease prevention a national priority.

Separating parents and children at US border is inhumane and sets the stage for a public health crisis

(Washington, D.C., June 15, 2018) — “The Trump administration’s policy of separating parents and children at the U.S.-Mexico border will have a dire impact on their health, both now and into the future.

“As public health professionals we know that children living without their parents face immediate and long-term health consequences. Risks include the acute mental trauma of separation, the loss of critical health information that only parents would know about their children’s health status, and in the case of breastfeeding children, the significant loss of maternal child bonding essential for normal development. Parents’ health would also be affected by this unjust separation.

“More alarming is the interruption of these children’s chance at achieving a stable childhood. Decades of public health research have shown that family structure, stability and environment are key social determinants of a child’s and a community’s health.

“Furthermore, this practice places children at heightened risk of experiencing adverse childhood events and trauma, which research has definitively linked to poorer long-term health. Negative outcomes associated with adverse childhood events include some of society’s most intractable health issues: alcoholism, substance misuse, depression, suicide, poor physical health and obesity.

“There is no law requiring the separation of parents and children at the border. This policy violates fundamental human rights. We urge the administration to immediately stop the practice of separating immigrant children and parents and ensure those who have been separated are rapidly reunited, to ensure the health and well-being of these children.”

###

APHA champions the health of all people and all communities. We strengthen the public health profession. We speak out for public health issues and policies backed by science. We are the only organization influence federal policy, has a nearly 150-year perspective and brings together members from all fields of public health. Visit us at www.apha.org.


Trust for America’s Health is a non-profit, non-partisan organization that promotes optimal health for every person and community and makes the prevention of illness and injury a national priority.  Twitter: @HealthyAmerica1

Obesity/Chronic Disease

Obesity is one of the nation’s most pressing health problems and is related to the growing number of Americans living with a chronic disease such as heart disease, hypertension, and diabetes. TFAH’s State of Obesity: Better Policies for a Healthier America report found that four in ten American adults have obesity, and those rates continue to climb nationwide and within population groups.

Leading Public Health Groups: Using the Prevention Fund to help fund CHIP: A Serious Mistake

Statement from Trust for America’s Health, American Public Health Association, National Association of County and City Health Officials, Prevention Institute, and Public Health Institute

December 22, 2017

Washington, D.C., December 22, 2017 –It is a serious mistake to cut $750 million from the Prevention and Public Health Fund to provide very short-term funding for the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) and community health centers. The below is a statement from the American Public Health Association, National Association of County and City Health Officials, Prevention Institute, Public Health Institute, and Trust for America’s Health:

“The Prevention Fund supports critical public health activities—including lead poisoning surveillance, vaccination initiatives and other programs—in every state and community across the country. Cutting this significant funding source would leave communities without the vital resources needed to keep children and families happy, healthy and safe.

It is even more alarming and contradictory that this cut will be used to provide very short-term funding for CHIP and community health centers. Our organizations are united in support of CHIP and community health centers, which are vital to improving children’s health. But losing the Prevention Fund would just create another hole in the public health support children need.

The Prevention Fund is supported strongly by national, state and local groups alike—indeed to-date 1,142 have joined the Prevention Fund supporter’s list. They know the value of the $630 million annually that goes directly to states and communities to prevent illness and disease.

A strong public health system makes the difference between health and illness, safety and injury, life and death.

We urge Congress to oppose any and all future cuts to the Prevention Fund and to begin the long-overdue process of increasing support to CHIP, community health centers, CDC and other public health agencies so today’s children can be our healthiest and happiest generation.”

John Auerbach, President & CEO, Trust for America’s Health

Georges C. Benjamin, MD, Executive Director, American Public Health Association

Larry Cohen, Executive Director, Prevention Institute

Laura Hanen, MPP, Interim Executive Director and Chief of Government Affairs, National Association of County and City Health Officials

Mary A. Pittman, President & CEO, Public Health Institute

###

Trust for America’s Health is a non-profit, non-partisan organization dedicated to saving lives by protecting the health of every community and working to make disease prevention a national priority. www.healthyamericans.org

The American Public Health Association champions the health of all people and all communities. We strengthen the public health profession. We speak out for public health issues and policies backed by science. We are the only organization that combines a 145-year perspective, a broad-based member community and the ability to influence federal policy to improve the public’s health. Visit us at www.apha.org.

The National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) represents the nation’s nearly 3,000 local governmental health departments. These city, county, metropolitan, district, and tribal departments work every day to protect and promote health and well-being for all people in their communities. For more information about NACCHO, please visit www.naccho.org.

The Public Health Institute, an independent nonprofit organization, is dedicated to promoting health, well-being and quality of life for people throughout California, across the nation and around the world.

Prevention Institute is an Oakland, California-based nonprofit research, policy, and action center that works nationally to promote prevention, health, and equity by fostering community and policy change so that all people live in healthy, safe environments.