You are here: New Ulm Medical Center > About Us

Print

Send to a Friend

Tackling the problem of childhood obesity

It should not be news to anyone in America today that obesity among our population has reached epidemic status in our country. We see the reports on the television, in the newspapers and in magazines.

There is no shortage of frightening statistics, and perhaps the most frightening statistics are telling the story of the next generation of obese and overweight Americans:

• The number of overweight children aged 6-19 has tripled within the past two decades.
• Among 2-5 year olds, the prevalence of overweight rose from 7% to 10% between 1994 and 2002.
• Children who are overweight and obese are at increased risk of heart disease, hypertension, diabetes and various cancers.
• 61% of overweight 5 to 10 year olds have at least one risk factor for heart disease while 26% have two or more risk factors.
• Among children and adolescents, annual hospital costs related to overweight and obesity have tripled in the past two decades – rising to $127 million during 1997-1999.
• This generation will be the first generation to have a lower life expectancy than their parents.

So how do we begin to tackle this problem and correct the society-wide unhealthy habits that have been built up over the last few generations?

According to New Ulm Medical Center Family Practice physician Frani Knowles, MD, the work in changing attitudes about eating and exercise starts at home. Getting the right information out to parents and into the homes is the focus of a New Ulm Medical Center initiative on childhood obesity.

“We started about two years ago identifying needs, offering counseling and suggestions to families, because that’s where it begins,” Knowles said. “We now have a second registered dietitian, Rebecca Fliszar, on staff and she has special expertise in counseling for childhood obesity.”

The community has also benefited from Allina’s system-wide focus of making childhood obesity a top priority.

During the 2005-2006 school year, the National Theatre for Children, in a partnership between Allina, Preferred One and the Minnesota Medical Association, toured the state presenting the “Power of the Pyramid” play in elementary schools. New Ulm Public Schools and New Ulm Area Catholic Schools watched the play this year and the troupe will come to St. Paul’s Lutheran School next school year.

“They gave a 25-minute age-appropriate presentation talking about eating healthy and exercising,” said Carisa Buegler, medical center Foundation Director. “Each child also received an activity book. The entire program was very well received. We got great feedback from teachers and parents. “

In the course of the program, the actors talk about the “Go, Slow and Whoa” foods, Buegler said. The concept is just what it sounds like, the “Go” foods are those you can eat plenty of, the “Slow” foods are those you should eat in moderation, and the “Whoa” foods are those you should only eat once or twice a week.

“For children to recognize these categories of foods builds a great foundation,” Buegler said. The next challenge for the medical center is to keep the momentum going. “Teachers were very positive about continuing presentations and initiatives in the schools.”

The medical center and physicians are very committed to reaching the family unit as a whole, Knowles said. “The biggest issue is that parents are the role models. They have control over the foods they bring into their homes and they set the example for exercise,” Knowles said. “So, it starts with the parents offering healthy food choices and being a good role model to their children, and then the children are more apt to make healthy choices themselves. It’s a family commitment.”

To help increase healthy activities, two free family events are being planned this year at the New Ulm Recreation Center, thanks to a grant from the Physicians Group of New Ulm, Kraft Foods, the New Ulm Medical Center Foundation and the New Ulm Parks and Recreation Department. These events will include not only time for families to have fun and exercise together opening the pool and gym, but there will also be presentations on eating healthy from a physician and a dietitian. These events are scheduled for Sunday, August 27 from 1-5 p.m. and Friday, December 29 from 6 to 9 p.m.

“When we started this a couple years ago, you couldn’t find any information about how to address the problem of childhood obesity,” Knowles said. “But now there are tons of resources out there.”

For instance, Knowles said, there is a sticker program by which consumers would mark every grocery item they bring into the house with a green, yellow or red sticker, based loosely on the same concept as the “Go, Slow and Whoa” foods.

“Unfortunately, the research isn’t available yet as to what techniques work best, but we know from past public health campaigns that the best thing to do is just pick a program and start doing it,” Knowles said.

New Ulm Medical Center
1324 Fifth St. N.
New Ulm, MN 56073
507-233-1000
Maps & directions