Quarterly Meetings 2011

Meeting Minutes

• February
• May
• August
• November

February 2011 Meeting Presentations

Taylor Huff provided an introduction to Jefferson County's Health Action Partnership. She described the "Communities Putting Prevention to Work" grant from the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention, outlining the current actions and future plans in Jefferson County.

• Making the Healthy Choice the Easy Choice
• Resolution in Support of Improved Food Access and Education in Jefferson County

Teresa Fair and Whitney Pinkson reviewed the vending machine intervention targeted at state office buildings to improve access to healthy foods.

• Healthy Vending Machine Project

May 2011 Meeting Presentation

Teresa Johnson, Glenda Avery, and Misty Cousins presented information from the work completed by Troy University in Union Springs, Alabama through a Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) grant. The grant funded a wellness coordinator to have a focused approach in Union Springs Elementary School.

The pre-grant intervention description of the school environment included an unimplemented wellness policy, overcrowded physical education (PE) classes, minor nutrition information shared in science class, lack of parental involvement, cookie fundraisers, food-based rewards for good behavior, and physical activity-based punishments for misbehavior. The post-intervention description revealed after two years many positive changes, including: a school garden, increased health lessons in PE classes, school field days, teacher role modeling, and parental involvement.

• A Focused Approach to Address Health Behaviors and Pediatric Obesity - Model for Bridging Gaps in School Wellness Programs

August 2011 Meeting Presentation

Jennifer Adams provided an overview of the State Department of Education's Family and Consumer Science (FACS) teachers' approach to job readiness and their Star Events for students. There are 450 FACS teachers in the state who teach more than 1,500 students. Teachers are teaching job opportunities as they teach subject matter.

• FACS and FCCLA....What's It All About?

Polly McClure gave a presentation on the American Academy of Pediatrics "Reach Out and Read" program. She is working with pediatricians across the state to make this program a success. In summer 2011, over 500 copies of the book The Hungry Caterpillar were placed in MD offices around the state. McClure worked with Obesity Task Force Chair Elect Michael Jackson to place the book in a Dothan office where the pediatrician read it to children, and Jackson provided vegetables for the children to taste after hearing the story.

• Reach Out and Read - Alabama

November 2011 Meeting Presentations

Linda Knol, PhD, RD, presented information on the link between lack of food and obesity. She provided definitions of food insecurity and looked at potential areas to address the problems. Some of the connections can be that food restriction can lead to a preoccupation with food; a food reward is sought after deprivation; adults and children learn to overeat in the presence of food; and the calorically dense foods are less expensive. Also discussed are the perceptions of weight and the skills needed to balance food intake and budgets, including menu planning, time management and simple cooking techniques.

• Food Security and Obesity

Nisa Miranda provided information on the newly developed Alabama Trails Commission. The Commission is working to bring together all trail stakeholders and to coordinate their efforts as a way to leverage Alabama's natural resources. This coordination will help promote Alabama with a positive image, which will assist in economic development/impact-jobs, small businesses, and expanding the tax base while providing information to improve quality of life and health. Alabama has many beautiful natural resources - we are all encouraged to get out and explore the state, as well as be supportive of the Commission's efforts.

• Alabama's Physical Activity Potential

Jefferson County Community Recovery Committee Meetings

Members of the State Obesity Task Force are encouraged to attend upcoming public meetings of the Jefferson County Community Recovery Committee. These meetings represent an opportunity to bring about the types of environmental changes that will help alleviate the obesity issues our residents face. For information on future meetings, contact Dan Voketz at [email protected] or by phone at 205-325-5638, or email Evan Williams at [email protected].