NEWS

Want to eat smart and move more, but find it hard to fit into your day?

Local organizations provide a solution.

January 24, 2007 - On February 1st, Families Eating Smart & Moving More will kick off its third year of teaching families how to live healthier lifestyles, based on its plan, shop, and fix method of preparation. Last year, 135 Cabarrus County residents attended the program, with 61 graduating after attending all four sessions in a series – numbers that almost doubled from last year. In 2007, the Cooperative Extension and Cabarrus Family Medicine would like to reach even more local families.

Researchers estimate that overweight and obesity cost North Carolina taxpayers $2.14 billion in direct medical expenses – money that could be saved if we paid more attention to the needs of our bodies earlier on. Cabarrus Family Medicine, the site for Families Eating Smart & Moving More, estimates that about 1000 of its teenage patients are suffering from obesity, and by helping to sponsor the program, they hope they can treat these patients now, instead of having to treat them later in life, when the consequences of obesity have taken effect.

Families Eating Smart & Moving More is a statewide initiative co-created by the N.C. Cooperative Extension Service, the N.C. Division of Public Health and the N.C. Academy of Family Physicians. The ultimate objective is to promote healthy behaviors that reduce risks and prevent disease related to inactivity and unhealthy eating behaviors.

To further the initiative, 10 counties were selected to take part in an “Adolescent Obesity and Inactivity Project” to track the progress of some of the teenage patients participating in the Families Eating Smart & Moving More program. Cabarrus County was one of the counties chosen for this. Area physicians identify potential children, recommend them to the program, and then over a three-year period, track these patients’ progress. Cabarrus Family Medicine has committed to track at least 5 children in the county.

According to the 2006 Issue Report by Trust for America’s Health, “Studies have shown that educating doctors about providing better counseling to patients about physical activity and nutrition has been an important factor in influencing patient behavior change. Heightened attention from doctors and other health care providers may be an important strategy for helping at-risk and obese children better manage nutrition and activity.”

Ron & Kay Greene of Mt. Pleasant are patients of Dr. Michael Trombley at Cabarrus Family Medicine’s Concord office, and as a result of Families Eating Smart & Moving More, have made many lifestyle changes: “We plan our meals now and eat healthier portions. We are more concerned about what we eat, how to choose foods, and exercise. We do not eat fast foods anymore. We feel better, have more energy, and our children are proud of us. It feels good to know I have learned how to eat healthier.” The couple is also very pleased with their weightloss, achieved from knowledge gained in the program. Ron was able to lose 9 pounds and Kay 19. “We hope our doctor will be proud of us,” Kay said.

Families Eating Smart & Moving More focuses on the five main contributors to obesity in America: lack of physical activity, watching too much TV, drinking too many soft drinks, lack of portion control, and eating too many meals away from home. The program teaches families everything from how to prepare a grocery list to how to – not cook – but “fix” a meal and how to substitute family activities for TV time.

The first session in the series, “Eating Smart at Home” helps families learn how to plan, shop, prepare, and eat healthy meals at home. Families who eat together at home eat more fruits and vegetables and less fat. Families are given tools that will help them in the planning process, such as weekly meal planners and blank shopping lists organized by food group.

The second session, “Eating Smart on the Run” provides families with better food choices amid a busy, on-the-go lifestyle. Eating out has become a way of life for many families, and eating in restaurants often means eating more fat, sugar, and calories, and fewer fruits and vegetables. Eating out can also equal large portion sizes and too many soft drinks. This class teaches families skills to choose wisely when eating away from home.

In the third component of the program, “Moving More Everyday, Everywhere,” parents are given ideas of how to initiate physical activity with their children. Building physical activity into the day doesn’t require special equipment or a special place. Families learn to take advantage of everyday opportunities for moving more. Every step counts toward the recommended 30 minutes of activity for adults and 60 minutes for children per day.

The last topic of the program, “Moving More, Watching Less,” teaches families methods for getting children interested in replacing time in front of the TV with more physical activity and provides parents tools for planning and logging stationary and active recreations. This topic is important, considering that television, computers, and video games are now some of the primary sources of recreation in American households.

All sessions are free to the public and will take place from 7-8 p.m. in The Copperfield Room at Cabarrus Family Medicine – Concord, 270 Copperfield Boulevard. Healthy snacks will be provided for each session. Each person who completes all four topics will receive a certificate, a goodie bag, and be eligible for door prizes. Daycare teachers will also receive four hours of approved childcare training credit for completing the series.

To reserve your spot, please contact Pam Outen, Extension Agent, Family & Consumer Sciences, at 704-920-3310 or at pamela_outen@ncsu.edu.

Winter Series . . . . . . . . February 1 & 15, March 1 & 15

Spring Series . . . . . . . . April 5 & 19, May 3 & 17

Summer Series . . . . . .  August 2 & 16, September 6 & 20

Fall Series . . . . . . . . . . .October 4 & 18, November 1 & 15