County gets help with obesity

Local residents now have a resource to help obese and overweight children find local, personally directed nutrition services, and it?s all at their fingertips.

Sponsored by the Tennessee Dietetic Association (TDA), a new link called ?High BMI ? Get Help? is offered at TDA?s Web site: www.eatright-tn.org. The Web site provides a central source to access all the resources in their community that provide licensed, professional nutrition and weight management services to children and families.

Participating counties are in conjunction with the state?s Coordinated School Health system, which covers Tipton, Henry, Gibson, Putnam, Stewart, Macon, Washington, Warren, Loudon and Monroe counties.

The Web site supplements a statewide plan to address childhood obesity by measuring the Body Mass Index (BMI) of school children to establish a benchmark for their healthy growth and development. BMI is a screening tool that uses age, height and weight to identify children whose body size may put them at higher risk for developing other health problems.

Some 30 percent of parents who have a child enrolled in one of the state?s 10 coordinated school health systems are expected to get a letter from their child?s school indicating their child is, or is at risk, for becoming overweight or obese. As a next step, the new Web site link provides the latest health information and local nutrition resources to professional healthcare providers and parents, as well as pharmacies, health departments, and school officials and nurses.

?We are serious about helping Tennessee children lead healthy lifestyles. Research shows that the most effective way to do that is through a local professional who can discuss and assess the family?s needs and provide individualized follow-up services or direct them to appropriate resources,? said Dianne Killebrew, TDA president. ?Through this valuable informational tool, we are well on the way to ensuring that parents and healthcare providers can find local professional nutrition help in a user-friendly manner.?

Tennessee is one of the lowest ranked states in the country with 60 percent of overweight children ages 5 to 10 already having at least one cardiovascular risk factor.

Obesity has its problems

? Overweight children often have a poor self image, and are lonely, sad and nervous.
? Overweight children are more likely to smoke and drink alcohol.
? Many overweight children have trouble breathing when sleeping, which can lead to trouble with learning and memory.
? Type 2 diabetes, which usually affects only adults, can develop in children who are overweight.
? Overweight children will most likely develop into overweight and obese adults with heart disease, diabetes and high blood pressure.
? Overweight children cost parents more money and time away from work because they have more health problems.