Community Health

Programs

Tackling Obesity
If you are overweight or obese, you are not alone. Sixty-six percent of adults in the U.S. are overweight or obese. Our recommendations for you are outlined below.
Stopping Smoking
For cutting-edge, evidence-based tools designed to help specific audiences quit smoking and remain smoke-free, look no further.

Tackling Obesity

Obesity is the leading cause of preventable disease and death in Fountain and Warren Counties. Dealing with any chronic health problem, such as obesity, is difficult. We would like to help you get started. Follow Steps 1-4 below, or check out this website for more help: http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/heart/obesity/lose_wt/control.htm (National Institutes of Health Obesity Education Initiatve)

Step 1 – Calculate Your BMI
To begin, identify your BMI using our BMI calculator below. Just enter your height and weight, and use your BMI to determine which category your weight is in. (Note: The BMI categories below only apply to adults. Children should get guidelines from their doctor.)

BMI CALCULATOR see http://www.nhlbisupport.com/bmi/bmicalc.htm for example.

BMI Categories:

Underweight = less than 18.5
Normal weight = 18.5-24.9
Overweight = 25-29.9
Obesity = 30-40
Morbidly Obese = BMI 40 or greater

Step 2 - Behavioral Change
Changing the behavior that leads to obesity (eating and activity) is very difficult and depends on doing the right thing at the right time. You should try to make changes that match how ready you are. Setting the right goals is an important first step. Most people trying to lose weight focus on just that one goal: weight loss. However, the most productive areas to focus on are the dietary and exercise changes that will lead to that long-term weight change. Successful weight managers are those who select two or three goals at a time that they are willing to take on, that meet the following criteria of useful goals:

Effective goals are

specific
attainable
forgiving (less than perfect)

"Exercise more" is a commendable ideal, but it's not specific. "Walk five miles everyday" is specific and measurable, but is it attainable if you 're just starting out?" Walk 30 minutes every day" is more attainable, but what happens if you're held up at work one day and there's a thunderstorm during your walking time another day? "Walk 30 minutes, five days each week" is specific, attainable, and forgiving. In short, a great goal! For more guidance on how to successfully make a behavior change, go to the National Heart Lung and Blood Institutes online guide by clicking on the link below:

http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/heart/obesity/lose_wt/behavior.htm

Step 3 – Improving Your Diet
Most people think losing weight involves being on a diet. The truth is, we all currently have a diet, but for most of us, it is a bad one. We need to improve our current diet by better understanding two concepts: Food Choices, and Portion Size.

For detailed guidance on portion size, take a look at this link: http://win.niddk.nih.gov/publications/just_enough.htm

For more information on choosing the right foods, I suggest these websites:
http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/heart/obesity/lose_wt/shop.htm (shopping for healthy foods)
http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/weight-loss/NU00195/METHOD=print (Feeling Full on Less Food)
http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/heart/obesity/lose_wt/recipes.htm (Recipies for Health)

Step 4 – Improving Your Physical Activity
The Federal Government has issued its first-ever Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans. They describe the types and amounts of physical activity that offer substantial health benefits to Americans. There is strong evidence that physical activity can lower your risk of: Early death, heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, colon and breast cancers, obesity, falls, depression, and dementia. Exercise has also been shown to help with insomnia, and reducing the risk for bone fractures.

Brief guidelines for physical activity are presented below for different groups, more detailed information can be found at http://www.health.gov/paguidelines/. Additionally, a nice handout loaded with great ideas, entitled Physical Activity “The Magic Pill”, can be found at: Physical Activity Handout.

Children and Adolescents (aged 6–17)

Children and adolescents should do 1 hour (60 minutes) or more of physical activity every day.
Most of the 1 hour or more a day should be either moderate- or vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity.
As part of their daily physical activity, children and adolescents should do vigorous-intensity activity on at least 3 days per week. They also should do muscle-strengthening and bone-strengthening activity on at least 3 days per week.

Adults (aged 18–64)

Adults should do 2 hours and 30 minutes a week of moderate-intensity, or 1 hour and 15 minutes (75 minutes) a week of vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity, or an equivalent combination of moderate- and vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity. Aerobic activity should be performed in episodes of at least 10 minutes, preferably spread throughout the week.
Additional health benefits are provided by increasing to 5 hours (300 minutes) a week of moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity, or 2 hours and 30 minutes a week of vigorous-intensity physical activity, or an equivalent combination of both.
Adults should also do muscle-strengthening activities that involve all major muscle groups performed on 2 or more days per week.

Older Adults (aged 65 and older)

Older adults should follow the adult guidelines. If this is not possible due to limiting chronic conditions, older adults should be as physically active as their abilities allow. They should avoid inactivity. Older adults should do exercises that maintain or improve balance if they are at risk of falling.

For all individuals, some activity is better than none. Physical activity is safe for almost everyone, and the health benefits of physical activity far outweigh the risks. People without diagnosed chronic conditions (such as diabetes, heart disease, or osteoarthritis) and who do not have symptoms (e.g., chest pain or pressure, dizziness, or joint pain) do not need to consult with a health care provider about physical activity.

Adults With Disabilities
Follow the adult guidelines. If this is not possible, these persons should be as physically active as their abilities allow. They should avoid inactivity.

Children and Adolescents With Disabilities
Work with the child's health care provider to identify the types and amounts of physical activity appropriate for them. When possible, these children should meet the guidelines for children and adolescents—or as much activity as their condition allows. Children and adolescents should avoid being inactive.

Pregnant and Postpartum Women
Healthy women who are not already doing vigorous-intensity physical activity should get at least 2 hours and 30 minutes (150 minutes) of moderate-intensity aerobic activity a week. Preferably, this activity should be spread throughout the week. Women who regularly engage in vigorous-intensity aerobic activity or high amounts of activity can continue their activity provided that their condition remains unchanged and they talk to their health care provider about their activity level throughout their pregnancy.

Step 5 – Maintaining Your Efforts
Once you have had success at weight loss, the next challenge is to maintain the progress you have made. Unfortunately, there is no easy answer to this challenge. The lifestyle changes you made above in Steps 3 and 4 need to be maintained. If you find you are slowly slipping back into your bad habits, take a moment to reassess your commitment to behavior change in Step 2. Try to find ways to make your efforts more sustainable.

Variety in your activity program can be the needed spice to keep your exercise routine going.
Eating healthy can get boring, especially if you are eating the same thing over and over. Try to investigate different ethnic foods, or investigate healthy recipies on the internet, trying to make at least one new healthy food per week.
Get a friend or a family member to partner with you in your healthy lifestyle efforts.
Give yourself a healthy reward when you’ve reached a goal, or made a successful change.

Stopping Smoking

Our local health department is dedicated to help you kick the habit. Call or email us today and schedule an appointment with Lyndall Salts, LPN to discuss what assistance we can provide. If you would rather use web based resources, we recommend the QUIT NOW website from the National Cancer Institute. 1-800-QUIT-NOW is a free service that can help you quit. When you call, a trained quit coach in your state will work with you to help you quit and avoid the things that tempt you back into the habit. Click here for more information: http://1800quitnow.cancer.gov/