FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
FRIDAY, MARCH 24, 2006, 8 AM PST

Contact: Amy Stone
Phone: (414) 918-3156

What a State Can do to Combat Obesity Among Children

(San Francisco, Mar. 24, 2006) - Obesity prevalence has increased dramatically among adults, children and adolescents over the past two decades.

James Raczynski, PhD, and colleagues from the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) and the Arkansas Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Health (DOH), have developed information on what a state can do to combat obesity among children - enlisting schools, physicians, and parents. Their research was presented the Society for Behavioral Medicine's Annual Meeting and Scientific Sessions.

"The recently released IOM report on the prevention of obesity strongly suggests the pursuit of policy-level interventions," commented Raczynski. Arkansas has led the nation in passing and implementing state-wide legislation with a focus on curtailing child and adolescent obesity.

In 2003, the Arkansas legislature passed Act 1220 that was designed to implement a set of practices and policies to combat obesity among children. Measures include:

• annual BMI assessment for all public school children with reporting of BMI to parents
• removal of access to vending machines in elementary schools
• establishment of a state-wide Child Health Advisory Committee to develop additional state policy changes in future years.
• establishment of local school district-level physical activity and nutrition committees to monitor implementation of policies at the local level and develop local policy changes
• public reporting of vending contracts by all school districts

POLICY CHANGES IN ARKANSAS
There has been considerable controversy about obesity screening for children and other policy changes to to combat childhood obesity, and little data exist on the topic. The Arkansas initiative has been cited as the most comprehensive legislative approach to combating childhood obesity.

In a telephone survey of parents, the percent of parents of overweight children (>85th percentile) incorrectly identifying their child's weight status, has declined from 60% to 53%. Correct identification of overweight children among African-American parents also improved from 30% to 44% following screening (p<.0001) and from 43% to 48% among Caucasian parents (p<.0001).

Thus, parental recognition of weight risk status can be significantly improved with BMI screening feedback and the increased attention to overweight resulting from Act 1220, and African-American parents may specifically benefit.

Other initial findings and observations from this statewide initiative include an annual survey of principals to assess school nutrition policies. Increases were noted in proportions of schools reporting policies supporting the availability of healthy choices - Approximately 40% of schools self-reported policy changes. Most frequently reported changes were in: cafeteria offerings (21% of schools); restrictions on the sale of specific foods (17% of schools); and changes to vending machine contents (16% of schools).

PHYSICIANS RESPONSE
Jada Walker, M.Ed., and colleagues at UAMS and DOH conducted a statewide survey of family practitioners and pediatricians. Survey results indicate that most (69%) agreed the primary intent of the legislation was to raise awareness about childhood obesity; 73% felt that taking BMI measurements in the public schools was important; 48% reported that they received a BMI report letter from parents.

Physicians reported that 22% of patient responses to the BMI letter were positive; 50% neutral/mixed; and 28% were negative. Only 13% of doctors were concerned that students might develop eating disorders as a result of the heightened focus on weight.

What is Behavioral Medicine?
Behavioral medicine is the multidisciplinary field concerned with the behavioral and social aspects of medical conditions. Consumers and a wide variety of health professionals are involved in behavioral medicine research and practice, including cardiologists, counselors, epidemiologists, exercise physiologists, family physicians, health educators, internists, nurses, nutritionists, pediatricians, psychiatrists, and psychologists. Behavioral medicine takes a life-span approach to health and health care, working with children, teens, adults, and seniors individually and in groups, and working with racially and ethnically diverse communities in the United States and abroad.

Founded in 1978, SBM has more than 2,000 members and provides the many disciplines of behavioral health care with an interactive network of education and collaboration on common research, clinical, and public policy concerns related to prevention, diagnosis, treatment, rehabilitation and health promotion. For more information, visit www.sbm.org.

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