Obesity Epidemic 2

One of the greatest epidemics in the world, obesity, has risen 75% in the past ten years. It is spread across the world and hit every town and city. The cause of this horrible disease is due to poor nutrition and lack of being active.

Obesity is prevalent in every type of person, specifically looking at children, child obesity has doubled in the last 20 years and tripled for teenagers (1). Obesity is diagnosed when the child’s BMI (body mass index) is in the the 95th percentile, which then puts them at risk for cardiovascular disease (1).

In Maine, obesity has risen 100% in 17 years, affecting children, teenagers, and adults (1). Children as young as kindergarten are experiencing being overweight and being obese. The Maine Child Health Survey announced that 18% of kindergarten students have a BMI in the 85-94% range, and 15% have a BMI greater than 95% (1).

With child obesity leading to so many diseases, such as high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol, and type two diabetes, what is Maine doing about child obesity?

In the summer of 2009, Governor John Baldacci met with Maine legislators and healthcare advocates to celebrate the passage of three bills aimed to control child obesity (2). One bill was oriented to measure the heights and weights of school children and send the measurements to the Maine Center for Disease Control (2). Baldacci also signed two bills aimed to find the cause of obesity, concentrating on diets and exercise (2). This included that chain restaurants must post more calorie information on their menus and increase physical activity in Maine schools (2).

Directing the attention to one Maine town, Brewer, they have acknowledged the issue of child obesity and are in action to fight it. The schools in Brewer, Maine, are all using a system called NuriKids.

Brewer’s food director, Anna Malo, explained that NuriKids is a computer application that the school downloaded into two computers in the lunch rooms. The students have the option to slide their student ID or punch in their ID numbers, and their picture will show up on the computer screen. This also allows their parents to access what they are consuming online and saves money for the lunch room(3).

One of the cashiers in the lunch room explained how NutriKids helps save money, “It keeps better inventory and keeps the list of students who needs free or reduced lunch clear. In the past, students have lied to the lunch workers and said that they have free or reduced lunch in order to steal the food.” Now, the lunch cashiers will know exactly who has free or reduced lunch.

The food supplied and made in the lunch room is not in the school’s budget, the lunch room has its own budget. NutriKids should make a huge impact on saving money; and hopefully, they can concentrate on buying better, more nutritious foods.

NutriKids also has nutrition education on its website and an interactive menu, where parents can view and plan out what their children will eat (3). The nutrition labels are also present within the interactive menu section(3).

Brewer High School’s principal, Rebecca Bubar, explained her opinion on the new program and on the component of how parents can keep track of what their students eat and buy. Bubar agreed that it is helpful and is glad it is available, along with all the other benefits of NutriKids.

Another health improvement that Brewer schools have implied is taking out the junk food in their vending machines. An article from the Maine Dietetic Association stated, “By establishing an environment that supports nutritious food choices, schools play a critical role in producing healthy students who are better able to develop and learn (4).” The Maine Dietetic Association described how schools in Maine are starting to transfer over the junk food from the vending machines and a’la carte in the lunch rooms, to more nutritious snack options (4).

In the long run, these contributions to the school systems of Brewer will help fight against child obesity. More schools throughout Maine are also taking similar actions. Malo stated, “Schools nearby like Bangor High School and Hamden Memorial High School have been using NutriKids for awhile now.” Hopefully, the state will see a decline in child obesity very soon due to these actions.

Jessica Currier

References:

1) Mills, Dora. Maine CDC. “Obesity in Maine” 2007. http://www.maine.gov/dhhs/boh/oim/Obesity%20in%20Maine%20(5-07)%20FINAL.pdf.

2) Maine.Gov. “Governor signs three anti-obesity bills.” June 17, 2009. http://www.maine.gov/legis/speaker/news/PingreeNews/ObestiyMeasuresSigned2009-06-17.htm.

3) NutriKids. “What is MyNutriKids.com?” 2006-2009. https://www.mynutrikids.com/LearnMore/LearnMore.aspx#mytray.

4) Maine Dietetic Association. ADA Foundation. “Building Healthy Schools.” 2006. http://www.eatrightmaine.org/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderfiles/winter06.pdf.