Parents Learn About Childhood Obesity

This spring, Washtenaw County Public Health received funding from the Community Foundation of Southeastern Michigan to educate parents about childhood obesity.  The forums, held in Ypsilanti and Saline, featured a video compellation of several media clips regarding the obesity epidemic, a presentation of local HIP data, group discussion on solutions parents would like implemented, and recruitment opportunities for parents who wanted to join current community or school action teams. The forums also included supervised physical activities for children, a healthy meal provided by the local food service, pedometers for all adult attendees and active toys for all children.

As a result of the forum, many parents plan to make changes in their own and their family’s lifestyles, including: serving smaller portions, beginning a pedometer program, offering more fruits and vegetables and less sweets, and coordinating a neighborhood walking school bus. The children also shared some of the highlights of the night, including: making their own salsa, creating new dance moves and doing the “little mermaid” stretch.

“The event was a great opportunity to enhance our community’s awareness of the threat of childhood obesity. Programs like this are overdue and more events like this must be done in our schools, churches, and community agencies,” commented Dr. Terry Joiner of Ypsilanti Pediatrics after attending the  Ypsilanti forum.

WCPH has committed to conducting the HSAT with each school in September and several participants now attend their local health coalition meetings. If anyone is interested in viewing the discussion video “Growing Pains: Community Response to Obesity,” which contains clips from Supersize Me, Frontline, Scientific American Frontiers and CNN, contact Jenna Bacolor at 544-2969.