Tift Regional Medical Center - Childhood Obesity Initiative

Overview

Tift Regional Medical Center (TRMC) developed an initiative designed to raise awareness of childhood obesity and to provide information about healthy food choices and increase physical activity for youngsters. TRMC teamed up with numerous community partners to offer educational guidance, support and screening activities related to child nutrition and fitness.

Impact

More than 2,000 lives were reached through a variety of community activities. TRMC publications featured stories on childhood obesity that offered preventive information and health tips for parents. Publications were distributed quarterly to 80,000 households in a four-county area. To reinforce the message, healthy snacks and jump ropes were distributed at various community programs.

Challenges/success factors

In cooperation with numerous community agencies, “Eat This and Not That” was the theme of programs – presented in schools, in housing authority facilities, and at county recreation department's camps – that included free health screenings including body fat analysis along with fitness and nutrition information for children and their parents. TRMC also sponsored a week-long Diabetes Day Camp providing activity aimed at promoting healthy eating and education about the management of diabetes and physical activities for diabetic children. In addition, TRMC provided consultation to schools regarding offering healthier cafeteria and vending machine choices for children and on the need to increase physical fitness activities. TRMC even sponsored a continuing education seminar for physicians titled “Improving Your Success in Treating Childhood Obesity in the Office.” The seminar was presented by Dr. Miriam Vos, a nationally recognized expert on childhood obesity and author of the book The No-Diet Obesity Solutions for Kids.

Future direction/sustainability

TRMC continues to offer these programs for the schools and community throughout the year and hopes to expand its offerings.

Advice to others

Organize a committee composed of many segments of the community, including physicians, dietitians, parents, representatives from the schools, recreation departments, YMCA, inner city programs, and extension services. When it came to working with school systems, going through the local Board of Education was a bureaucratic challenge since the board was dealing with curriculum mandates, budget constraints and other issues. Working with individual schools and identifying teachers, parents, and physical education instructors at each facility to serve as champions proved to be more effective. It allowed TRMC to “work from the inside out.”

Contact: Chris Efaw
Director, Outreach and Development
Telephone: 229-353-6310
E-mail: cefaw@tiftregional.com