$15M to fight obesity in Pima

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Home / News / Science / Health, medicine and fitness Award is one of 44 made nationally from US stimulus package

$15M to fight obesity in Pima

Story (62) Comments $15M to fight obesity in Pima Stephanie Innes Arizona Daily Star Arizona Daily Star | Posted: Monday, October 18, 2010 12:00 am | Comments Font Size: Default font size Larger font size

Where is the money going?

The $15.7 million is going to eight teams, headed by the University of Arizona, the YMCA of Southern Arizona, the Carondelet Health Network, Activate Tucson and the Community Food Bank. The UA is heading four of the teams and will get the largest share of the $9 million that has been budgeted for the teams. The remaining $6.7 million of the grant money is going to salaries, advertising, a website and small projects - for example if a neighborhood association or school wanted shade trees and benches for its playground. So far, the county has spent $184,500 of the grant money.

Calculate your body mass index (BMI)

Obesity refers to having a high amount of body fat in relation to lean body mass. Most studies and federal guidelines define an overweight adult as someone with a body mass index of 25 or higher - 30 or higher is considered obese. Body mass index is calculated from weight and height. Many experts say it can indicate the potential for health problems. Most federal guidelines consider children overweight if their BMI is at the 85th percentile or higher for their age, sex and height. A child is considered obese at higher than the 95th percentile for BMI for children. BMI calculator for children: www.blubberbuster.com/height_weight.html BMI calculator for adults: www.nhlbisupport.com/bmi

On StarNet
Find the Star's special series on childhood obesity at go.azstarnet.com/obesity

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$15M to fight obesity in Pima

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In two years, Pima County residents will be slimmer and healthier. That's the goal of county officials who received $15.7 million in federal funds to help curb and prevent obesity. The money will go to eight local teams working to curb and prevent obesity through health and wellness education through schools, workplaces, faith-based groups and neighborhoods. It also will hire 75 full-time and part-time work-site wellness trainers, educators, data collectors and farmers-market-development employees. The local funds are part of $373 million awarded to 44 communities nationwide from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, the economic stimulus package. Pima County was the only Arizona recipient. Obesity creates significant health costs because it boosts the risk for chronic health conditions such as Type 2 diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, sleep apnea and respiratory problems, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control says. More than one-quarter of Arizona adults are considered obese, which means they have a body mass index of 30 or more. Arizona ranks 29th in the country for adult obesity and 15th in the nation for childhood obesity, says this year's "F as in Fat" report by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Trust for America's Health. Nearly 18 percent of Arizona children ages 10 to 17 are obese, the report says. The data also say fewer than one-third of Arizona kids ages 6 through 17 participate in vigorous daily physical activity. The federal money will fund several local programs. Among them: A communitywide campaign to get every Pima County student doing 60 minutes of physical activity per day. That might include reinstating recess or adding after-school programs. Healthier food choices in school cafeterias and vending machines. A voluntary "healthy" designation for local restaurants that show they meet a set of criteria such as smaller portion size and healthy menu options. Workplace wellness programs including forums, work-site training sessions and incentives such as pedometers, stretch bands and healthful-recipe cookbooks. An obesity prevention tool kit for churches, hospitals, doctors and community agencies, including "trainthe-trainer" sessions on health coaching. More locally grown food at affordable prices. The Tucson Community Food Bank already operates three farmers markets and plans to add a fourth, at El Pueblo Neighborhood Center on Tucson's south side on Saturdays beginning in late October. Other plans include a mobile farmers market and an expanded gardening cooperative. Shadier bus stops, because having to sit in the sun discourages people from using mass transit.

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$15M to fight obesity in Pima

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An analysis of how Southern Arizona's buildings, roads and parks affect our health. One plan calls for a team of University of Arizona students to map "food deserts" - areas where people don't have access to healthy food nearby - and the densities of local fast-food outlets. A survey of how Pima County fares when it comes to overweight, obese and underactive teens. The grant money demands quick changes, but those involved are confident that programs it funds will spur enough energy and excitement about a healthier Tucson to make a difference over the long term. "Two years is not a long period of time, and policy changes take awhile, but policy drives behavior," said Merrill Eisenberg, an assistant professor in the UA's College of Public Health. "I'd love to see us get some policies in place so we make a better use of the resources we have and plan our community in a better way in terms of the next generation." Contact reporter Stephanie Innes at 573-4134 or sinnes@azstarnet.com
Copyright 2010 Arizona Daily Star. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Sunday Star home delivery just 99 per week! Posted in Health-med-fit, Stephanie-innes on Monday, October 18, 2010 12:00 am Updated: 11:15 pm. | Tags: Share This Story Post a Comment Print Email ShareThis

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