|
Childhood obesity
rates higher in
Athens County
Study correlates
obesity with school
meals, television
and living with
smokers
By
Angelina Young
January 22, 2010
A study conducted by
researchers at the
Ohio University
College of
Osteopathic Medicine
(OU-COM) found that
21 percent of
children in Athens
County are obese,
compared to the
national average of
16 percent. The
study was printed
this fall in the
international
publication,
Journal of Rural and
Remote Health.
Because obesity
means a higher risk
for diabetes,
hypertension, and
cardiac problems,
this study has major
implications for
overall health rates
in Southeastern
Ohio, according to
lead researcher
Karen
Montgomery-Reagan,
D.O., OU-COM
assistant professor
of pediatrics and
University Medical
Associates
pediatrician.
“My love in life is
watching the little
ones grow into
healthy, independent
young adults.
As the years in my
profession have
passed, I realized
that children were
becoming too heavy
for their young
age,” said
Montgomery-Reagan.
“It became apparent
that the children,
parents and schools
were not being
educated about
healthy choices in
nutrition.”
Montgomery-Reagan
worked with
researchers from the
college and its
statewide consortium
of teaching
hospitals--the
Centers for
Osteopathic Research
and Education
(CORE)--for this
two-year study
tracking the body
mass index (BMI) of
Athens County
elementary school
children six to 11
years old.
“I wasn’t surprised
to learn that rural
children were
significantly more
overweight than kids
in the rest of the
nation; this is
something that
health care
providers have
observed in many
other rural
regions,” said
Joseph Bianco,
Ph.D., a research
scientist in
OU-COM’s Department
of Geriatric
Medicine/Gerontology.
“I was surprised,
however, to see that
obesity was far more
prevalent in local
boys than girls. It
was unsettling to
see many of our
local children enter
elementary school
already overweight,
or at risk for
(becoming)
overweight,” Bianco
said.
Through the CORE,
family practice
physicians Jean
Rettos, D.O. (’04),
and Rebecca Huston,
D.O. (’04), with the
help of students and
ancillary medical
personnel, conducted
a county-wide BMI
screening of
children six to 11
years old in Athens
County. The height
and weight of each
student in all 11
Athens County
elementary schools
was measured three
times between 2006
and 2007. Children
were classified as
underweight, normal
weight, at risk (for
becoming overweight)
or overweight
(obese) based on
their BMI.
“The school lunch
and breakfast may be
the only meals some
children receive,
and if they are not
healthy, then I
expect school lunch
programs assist in
making our children
overweight. A
surprise was a
smoking caregiver
was more likely to
have overweight
children than normal
weight children,”
said
Montgomery-Reagan.
The CORE helped to
fund the study by
purchasing supplies
and awarding grants
to Rettos and
Huston, who were
CORE residents
during the time of
the screenings.
Rettos now practices
at Athens Health
Solutions in Athens
and Huston works
with Team Health at
O’Bleness Memorial
Hospital.
The CORE research
office and OU-COM’s
Office of Research
and Grants also
assisted with data
analysis,
interpretation and
editorial support,
according to Grace
Brannan, Ph.D.,
director of CORE
Research. Victor Heh,
Ph.D., a
biostatistician in
the OU-COM Office of
Research and Grants,
analyzed the data,
provided weekly
statistical advice
and guidance, and
assisted in the
interpretation of
the findings.
Each Athens county
school was given a
copy of the results
of the study,
including national
averages and the
final paper written
by the researchers.
“There is a need for
healthier school
breakfasts and
lunches, exercise
and nutrition
education,”
Montgomery-Reagan
said. “Also, it
appears that we need
to reach the
preschool child and
parents to catch the
toddler before we
have to be concerned
about increased
weight.”
|
