Ark. Children's Hospital study targets youth obesity
By JON GAMBRELL
Sunday, October 8, 2006 12:46 AM CDT
LITTLE ROCK - The war on the waist never looked more fun.
Students at Pulaski Heights Middle School thunder down the hardwood gymnasium floor in relay races, line dance to hip hop and drive the lane playing basketball. Their play _ and their study of health-related issues _ is part of a new program by the Arkansas Children's Hospital to teach preteens good exercise and health habits in a state beset by obesity.
"Jumping jacks and touching their toes just doesn't get kids excited anymore," said Wendy Ward-Begnoche, a pediatric psychologist at the hospital.
The nine-week program, funded by a private grant, includes 250 students in the pale green-and-white gym at the mid-city middle school. Nursing students performed body-mass tests and blood pressure checks on the students at the beginning of the school year and will take new readings later this fall, Ward-Begnoche said.
While a typical gym class might focus on calisthenics, Ward-Begnoche said the middle school program incorporates games and activities the children prefer. She said that draws them into staying active, rather than standing on the sidelines.
One day, the students might play basketball. On another, they'll try yoga.
Twice a week, the students gather in small groups in the gym, learning about nutrition, blood sugar levels and other health issues. The students also are encouraged to set healthy goals for themselves, like playing more basketball or eating better.
"The kids are reaching those goals," Ward-Begnoche said, looking over the students. "When they start seeing how it makes them start to feel better, it is its own reward."
As Ward-Begnoche sees it, the middle school years are crucial times to teach healthy habits. The students are just reaching some independence from their families, but still don't have the run of their lives. And while acknowledging children won't refuse pizza, she said the students would be better equipped in the long run.
"We all pick the pizza now and again," Ward-Begnoche said. "But maybe they'll pick it less often."
The study comes as obesity remains a top health concern, particularly in the South. For generations, deep-fried foods have been a part of the culture and poor eating habits weigh down the population.
In Arkansas, a study this year found 37.5 percent of school children are overweight or at risk of becoming overweight. Nationally, 17 percent of children are overweight, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta.
The fight against obesity across Arkansas gained political traction from Gov. Mike Huckabee, who lost more than 100 pounds after being diagnosed with diabetes. Huckabee championed the Healthy Arkansas project, aimed at reducing the state's obesity, tobacco use and physical inactivity.
The state also began weighing students in 2004 to determine their body-mass index, sending the information home to parents. As part of the same legislative package, schools were directed to limit student access to unhealthy foods during the school day.
The hospital's program is a next step in the process in the statewide battle of the bulge.
Ward-Begnoche hopes to reinterview and test the children several years from now to see if the program affected their lives. She also wants to expand the program outside of Pulaski Heights to a rural school next year, if the program wins another grant. If the program is a success, it could spread throughout the state.
So far, the Pulaski Heights program has won support from the school officials.
"This study has really helped our kids a lot," said Principal Daniel Whitehorn. "It's not just the emphasis on education and exercise, it's opened a lot of our kids' minds that it has to be a lifestyle change."
Coming off of doing the cha cha slide _ an update to the electric slide _ student Raven Wilkes said she enjoyed the program.
"I like it so far," said Raven, 11. "I get to exercise now. I don't get to exercise much at home."
The program also has support out on the dodgeball court.
"It helps us make better decisions on what we're eating," said Jonathan Eicks, 11. "I think it is nice of them to take time out of their job to come down here and help us."
A service of the Associated Press(AP)
Childhood Obesity Fight In Arkansas