Nutrition and Physical Activity Program to Prevent Obesity and Other Chronic Diseases
The Epidemic
61% of Arkansas adults are overweight or obese. (CDC BRFSS, 2002)
22% of non-Hispanic white adults, 35% of non-Hispanic black adults, and 31% of Hispanic adults in Arkansas are obese. (CDC BRFSS, 2002)
The obesity rate among Arkansas adults increased by 80% from 1991 to 2002. (CDC BRFSS, 1991, 2002)
30% of Arkansas high school students are overweight or at risk of becoming overweight. (CDC YRBSS, 2001)
26% of low-income children aged 2 to5 years in Arkansas are overweight or at risk of becoming overweight. (CDC PedNSS, 2002)
Program Priorities
In 1999, the Arkansas state senate passed a resolution asking the Arkansas Department of Health to conduct a study of the effects of obesity in adults and children and the cost implications of obesity-related health problems. The department created the Arkansas Obesity Task Force to conduct the study, and in 2000 the task force completed a report on the State of Arkansas, The Impact of Obesity: Economic, Health, Prevention and Treatment in 2000. One result of this report was that the Department of Health increased both staffing and resources dedicated to monitoring, promoting, improving, and evaluating nutrition and physical activity in homes, schools, work sites, and communities.
The Arkansas legislature responded to the obesity epidemic by enacting legislation in 2001 that requires physical education training and instruction and a minimum of 20 minutes of physical activity three times per week for children in kindergarten through 9th grade. In 2002, the governor declared the prevention of childhood obesity and increased nutrition and physical activity standards to be a top priority in Arkansas. The Governor's Council on Fitness focuses on physical activity events and interventions and produces an annual Physical Activity Report Card. The Arkansas Legislature's Act 1220, passed in 2003, requires BMI measurements on all children in public schools. Act 1220 also established the Child Health Advisory Committee to recommend nutrition and physical activity standards to be implemented through the rules and regulations process of the Board of Education and Board of Health.
An expanded and diversified Obesity Task Force will develop the state comprehensive plan for obesity prevention and control required for states receiving CDC funding through the national Nutrition and Physical Activity Program to Prevent Obesity and Other Chronic Diseases. Obesity prevention is included in the Arkansas state plans for diabetes, cardiovascular health, cancer, and 5 A Day, as well as the state plan of the Governor's Council on Fitness. These plans have coordinated overlapping objectives dealing with nutrition, physical activity, and obesity prevention, and these will be coordinated with the state obesity prevention and control plan.
Partners
Arkansas Cancer Coalition
Arkansas Chronic Disease Collaborative
Arkansas Community Health Centers
Arkansas Coordinated School Health Program
Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism
Arkansas Five A Day Coalition
Arkansas Foundation for Medical Care
Arkansas Human Development Corporation
Arkansas Minority Health Commission
Arkansas Wellness Coalition
Arkansas Department of Health chronic disease programs
Arkansas Department of Health WIC program
Governor's Council on Fitness
University of Arkansas at Little Rock
University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service
University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
Major Accomplishments and Products to Date
The VERB physical activity media campaign was implemented.
The Arkansas Trails for Life Program was established.
Upcoming Events and Products
Additional external partners representing a broad cross-section of the state’s population, and business and professional communities will be identified and recruited.
A burden of obesity report will be completed.
An evaluation plan will be developed.
Project Period: 2004-2008
Year First Funded: 2004
Funding Stage: Capacity Building
Contact Person:
Becky Adams, MPH, RD, CDE
Arkansas Living Healthy Unit Leader
Arkansas State Department of Health
Telephone: 501-661-2334
Fax: 501-661-2055
E-mail:
baadams@healthyarkansas.com
Data Sources
CDC BRFSS- CDC's Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System
CDC PedNSS- CDC's Pediatric Nutrition Surveillance System
CDC YRBSS- CDC's Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System
Arkansas Act 1220 BMI measurements- BMI measurements for school age children across the state are available annually beginning with the 2003-2004 school year.
http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/obes...s/arkansas.htm