PREVENTING CHILDHOOD OBESITY – ARKANSAS INITIATIVES · PREVENTING CHILDHOOD OBESITY ... – Data...

PREVENTING CHILDHOOD OBESITY –

ARKANSAS INITIATIVES

Cheryl L. ReinhartLegislative Attorney for Education

A k B f L i l ti R hArkansas Bureau of Legislative Research

The way we were (Memories… )y ( )

Childhood Obesity –Childhood Obesity “Epidemic”“Dramatic and disturbing trends”gLinked to morbidity and significant diseasesMost obese children become obese adults

Arkansas 200314th in nation38.1% of children overweight or at risk

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What we did …

Step 1: Enacted LegislationStep 1: Enacted Legislation

A 1220 f 2003 2nd E di S iAct 1220 of 2003, 2nd Extraordinary Session

Child Health Advisory CommitteeFocus on physical activity, school nutrition, obesity monitoring

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What we did …

Step 2: Established the Child HealthStep 2: Established the Child Health Advisory Committee

Committee Members:State Board of HealthDepartment of EducationPhysicians, nurses, dieticians, other health-related associations and professionsFood service groups Teachers, parent-teacher associations, education associations

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What we did …

Step 3: ImplementationStep 3: Implementation

Measure BMI in schoolsR l– Report results to parents

– Data collected

Increase physical education and physical activity

Address food service, vending machines, nutrition

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Arkansas Center for Health I (ACHI)Improvement (ACHI)

Implementation of BMI measurementImplementation of BMI measurementSelected equipmentDeveloped protocolp pTrained and certified school nursesDeveloped data collection and entry proceduresA l d ll d d lAnalyzes data collected; Provide annual reports

http://www.achi.net/

Justus, et al, Lessons Learned While Implementing a Legislated School Policy: Body Mass Index Assessments Among Arkansas’s Public School Students, Journal of School Health,

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JDecember 2007, Vol. 77, No. 10.

Where we are now …

Arkansas 2007Arkansas 2007Some amendment to Act 1220

Arkansas 20108th in nation … BUTChildhood obesity remains relatively flatStill “crisis”Multiple statewide prevention efforts

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Arkansas 2010

Department of Education programsDepartment of Education programsCoordinated School Health (22 school districts)districts)Wellness Centers – 9 recently awardedArkansas Healthy School Board DiamondArkansas Healthy School Board Diamond Awards

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Arkansas 2010

Tobacco settlement moneyTobacco settlement money56 grants to schools, based on doubled p.e. time evidence-based curriculum trainingtime, evidence based curriculum, training, equipmentFitness assessmentsHealthTeacher – www.healthteacher.com

PE for Life – community involvementPE for Life community involvement

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Arkansas 2010

Tobacco excise taxTobacco excise taxJoint use agreementsPromote healthy living and physical activityPromote healthy living and physical activityBusiness, community, school partnerships

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Arkansas 2010

Delta Garden Studyyhttp://www.arteengarden.com/

Arkansas Coalition for Obesity PreventionPrevention

Diverse group of businesses, foundations, hospitals, health organizations, state agencies, Governor’s officeTargets early childhood and school age childrenGrowing Healthy Communities (5 project sites

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Arkansas 2010

College of Public Health at UAMSCollege of Public Health at UAMSEvaluates BMI data each year

Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Center to Prevent Childhood Obesity

http://www.reversechildhoodobesity.org/National resourceLocated its office in Little Rock

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The future ...

“If did ll th thi“If we did all the things we are capable of, we would literally capable of, we would literallyastound ourselves.”

» Thomas A. Edison

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Contact Information:

Cheryl L. ReinhartLegislative AttorneyBureau of Legislative Research

reinhartc@arkleg.state.ar.us

501‐537‐9338