El Paso County Serves as a Model for Obesity Prevention

Researchers at the Michael & Susan Dell Center for Advancement of Healthy Living at the University of Texas School of Public Health Austin Regional Campus found the obesity prevention efforts in the El Paso region were the most effective in Texas in decreasing the prevalence of childhood obesity.

Deanna Hoelscher, PhD, director of the Michael & Susan Dell Center for Healthy Living, examined regional changes of child obesity from 2000-2002 to 2004-2005, after the implementation of several statewide policies and programs in Texas. The study found a 13% decrease in the prevalence of obesity among El Paso 4th graders.

“Data from the El Paso region show us that obesity prevention efforts, when implemented on a broad scale, can be successful,” says Hoelscher, a professor at the School of Public Health. This is one of the first reports of a population-wide decrease in child obesity prevalence levels in 4th-grade children in the El Paso region of Texas. Research results from the Schools Physical Activity and Nutrition (SPAN) study are published in Obesity.

“The results from the SPAN study show the first positive effects of a combined multi-level focus on state policies and local efforts to implement evidence-based community and school programs and media messages reinforcing the health messages in a large regional population,” says Hoelscher. SPAN data illustrates the importance of measuring the prevalence of child obesity at a local level, rather than relying on national or state estimates to monitor trends and document successful programs and policies, she adds.

During the past decade the Paso del Norte Health Foundation, has provided extensive funding for several obesity prevention initiatives, including the Coordinated Approach To Childhood Health (CATCH) El Paso program, an evidence-based school health program for elementary and middle school students; Walk El Paso, which encourages residents to adopt walking as a fun and safe form of exercise; and Qué Sabrosa Vida, a School of Public Health program that promotes healthy nutrition and physical activity while keeping the traditions of the Mexican-American diet and foods. Media advertisements were also used to emphasize nutrition and physical activity in the community during this time period.

Results from the SPAN study confirm the findings from previous research from another investigative team, which found that implementation of CATCH reduced the prevalence of obesity in children in elementary. “The programs and policies implemented in Texas helped to stabilize the prevalence of obesity among all grade levels in all regions. However, the rate of child obesity in all counties is greater than the targeted national health goal of 5% prevalence,” says Hoelscher.

Hoelscher believes statewide mandates for coordinated school health programs, the Texas Public School Nutrition Policy, school health advisory councils, and required daily physical education in elementary schools may slow the rise in childhood obesity in Texas when combined with community programs and media outreach that emphasize consistent messages. However, resources are necessary for the implementation and sustainability of these effective programs in communities, Hoelscher says.

Source: University of Texas Health Science Center at Housto