Childhood obesity grant is awarded

The University of Minnesota Academic Health Center and Minnesota Area Health Education Center awarded a $50,000 grant to the Inter-professional Workgroup on Childhood Obesity of Brainerd. The grant is to facilitate the development of a program addressing childhood obesity.

The grant will enable the Inter-professional Workgroup to implement programs in area schools that will help children make a positive change in their eating and exercise habits, with the ultimate goal to prevent childhood obesity that leads to increased risk for detrimental health effects later in life.

Dr. Mark Gray of Brainerd Medical Center and Amanda Walz and Kristina Britton, Rural Physician Associate Program students, third-year medical students, proposed the program. They hope to demonstrate the positive impact of inter-professional care on community health outcomes. The team includes professionals from many areas of health care and education, including students (medical, nursing and pharmacy), physicians, nurses, dietitians, teachers and the director of food services for the elementary school.

The team has begun to outline their goals and develop action plans. They seek to educate children and their parents about the health benefits of good nutrition and regular physical activity. The pilot program will begin with the third-grade classes at Garfield Elementary School. Some current project ideas include encouraging a healthy diet through food service in the schools and educational programs and increasing physical activity through a safe route to school program and pedometers and stability balls in the classrooms.

The St. Joseph's Medical Center Foundation will be the fiscal agent for the grant.