Obesity health effects discussed at state meeting
By Michael Schroeder
The Journal Gazette
HUNTINGTON
On a day when most children were gorging on Halloween candy, a handful of health officials and wellness advocates talked about growing waistlines during a regional obesity summit at Parkview Huntington Hospital.
We have not been able to crack this issue, said Judith Monroe, the state's health commissioner. She and others attributed the rising obesity rates in Indiana and nationwide to a complex network of factors from social to psychological to behavioral. Dealing with the problem is proving equally complex.
We don't have a silver bullet, Monroe said.
Currently, Indiana ranks 10th in the nation for adult obesity; 15 percent of high school students are overweight. And it's gotten only worse in the past two decades. Where fewer than 14 percent of Hoosiers were considered obese in 1985, more than 27 percent are obese today.
The two-hour summit Tuesday afternoon also featured presentations about ongoing health and wellness programs at DeKalb Memorial Hospital and in Wells County. Including state officials, about a dozen people attended the summit, which was geared toward enhancing collaboration among community programs that deal with obesity. Dr. Deborah McMahan, Allen County health commissioner was also in attendance.
One potential driver for change that is increasingly entering the health conversation is economics. DeKalb Hospital offered employees a discount on premiums based on risk factors such as whether they smoked or had high blood pressure.
Although the move was contentious, it has made a big difference, said Andrea Bales, the hospital's wellness program manager. She said the hospital has taken steps to ensure the program is implemented fairly, including following applicable privacy laws.
Beyond the pocketbook, peer influence namely in workplaces and schools is at the forefront of factors affecting health habits, meeting attendees and participants said. Employees and students are heavily influenced by corporate cultural cues from what's served for lunch to whether co-workers are working out, Bales and others said.
Creativity is also important. In Wells County, Operation Wellness a countywide health and wellness program offered activities including Tai Chi, ballroom dancing and weight-loss competitions.
Obesity in Indiana