LIHUE — Researchers from the University of Hawaii at Manoa have reduced childhood obesity prevalence by 3.9 percent in a clinical trial targeting keiki ages 2 through 8.
And the methods used in the trial are already in practice on Kauai through programs like Get Fit Kauai, which focuses on fostering active, healthy lifestyles.
“One of the biggest programs we’re working toward is our Safe Routes To Schools program,” said Bev Brody of Get Fit Kauai. “That’s a program that gets kids out and walking.”
The UH trial was a community-randomized clinical trial of the Children’s Healthy Living Program (CHL), based at the UH-Manoa. The CHL trial sought to sustainably prevent childhood obesity and decrease numbers of overweight children, and to improve health in the U.S.-affiliated Pacific region.
Throughout Hawaii, 27 communities and 8,371 children were included in the trial.
The rates of obesity and type 2 diabetes among adults in the Pacific are among the highest in the world, and researchers say childhood is the best time for prevention. That’s because childhood obesity and type 2 diabetes track into adulthood.
Obesity among young children in the U.S.-affiliated Pacific region jurisdictions was 14 percent in 2013.
CHL researchers wanted to change the environment in which children are raised as a way to prevent childhood obesity, and used a mixture of policy, education and practical training to lower the rates of childhood obesity among those in their trial.
Nineteen activities targeted six behaviors — sleep time, screen time, physical activity, fruits and vegetables, water and sugar-sweetened beverages.
It’s a promotion of nutritional balance, regular activity and enough sleep, and Brody said all of those things are top priorities for Get Fit Kauai initiatives.
For Get Fit Kauai, it all starts with a walk.
“Safe Routes To School gets kids to be active, but it also has parents and teachers walk to school so they recognize the need for infrastructure to support walking and biking,” Brody said. “The county has become supportive and involved in creating more walkable and bikable neighborhoods.”
She continued: “It’s a program that leads to infrastructure and policy change and we’re hoping to see a reduction in childhood obesity as neighborhoods become safer for everyone to become more active.”
While a reduction in childhood obesity was the primary outcome of the CHL clinical trial, it wasn’t the only effect that researchers noticed.
Those involved in the trial also noticed a lower prevalence of acanthosis nigricans (a skin condition that can indicate diabetes). Sleep quality and duration changed, and researchers noticed changes in dietary patterns and increased physical activity.
“The intervention reduced the prevalence of young child overweight and obesity and acanthosis nigricans,” said Rachel Novotny, principal investigator of the CHL trial and director of the Children’s Healthy Living Center of Excellence in the UH-Manoa College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources.
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Jessica Else, environment reporter, can be reached at 245-0452 or jelse@thegardenisland.com.
Aloha Kakou,
If you ever see kids walking to/from school on some of our narrow streets, and see them having to “duck” into the tall grass or bushes to avoid vehicles, especially on curves of the road, well it is downright scary, especially when they look like a couple of 1st and 2nd graders.
If it’s possible to make all students take the bus or at least be dropped off by their parents…here is anti-obesity program, and a super daily Health promoter for the physically fit students and the kids who would want to be physically fit. There are a few approaches to this regimen.
A.) When the school bell rings for first class students at school should be grouped or lined up, maybe by physical ability, wherein the fit kids are up front, not for discrimination but by participation ability…have the kids, for example, at both Kapa’a High and Elementary, walk the combined perimeter of both schools and then go to class.
Repeat same at recesses and lunch before eating. Let the kids set their own pace from “Turtle to Hare”. As slower kids get FITTER they can move up in line in the “Calorie Caravan”, and an incentive to get in shape as kids naturally compete with each other or want to be in the group where their friends are. No demands made, let it happen naturally.
B.) At school grounds too small for a brisk walk, let the school busses with kids on board already meet the kids driven to school or have walked safely to school, board the busses and be taken somewhere nearby to walk the walk or circumnavigate, e.g., in Kapa’a, the Mayor Baptiste Sports Park. And there’s friendly Bus Parking as well, as well as being empty parking lot at that hour. And school busses are idle all day anyway so why not extend their use for the benefit of the keiki…all kids of any category benefit by more exercise.
C.) On rain days there can be indoor Zumba, or line dancing, or the Virginia Reel (just kidding Virginia), etc., whatever kids today enjoy with music activity.
Remember we read about SWARE: Sun – Water – Air – Rest – Exercise everyday…5 Sources or promoting life in our bodies; why not part of the school curricula.
A child or older stident’s Health and Longevity is more Important than the 3 R‘s of reading, riting, & rithmetic. Squeeze in Exercise and the side effects are Sun (safe exposure on the skin for Vitamin “D”) and Air (increased inhalation from brisk walking), and drink some Water before and after.
Kapa’a Middle School has a large perimeter, Island School has a large walking access via KCC, All Saints School and Wilcox School can use the Wilcox School area.
Each school would need appropriate mapping for their daily Health-a-Thons.
With school busses being idle all day, and thus ready for drop off and pick up, current and future Hike and Bike Paths could be factored into the improved future Health of the Keiki and older youth.
D.) NUTRITION for HEALTH
1.) It goes without saying so let’s keep repeating it: SUGARS of any kind should be eliminated 100% from all kids’ (and adults) diet.
2.) Elimínate 100% all processed foods, they usually come with sugar, but the processing destroys the nutrients that make our brains
and bodies work properly.
3.) Drink 8 glasses of water a day, how big a glass? Base it in on how big you are: small, medium, and large.
4.) Eliminate 100% of all sodas and sugary and colored drinks.
5.) Eliminate 100% of all foods with chemicals in them. Most chemicals are made from petrochemicals and are cancer causing. If the
word in the ingredients is hard to read, pronounce, or spell it is probably a chemical.
6.) When you pay for food you should expect it to have nutrients in it to provide and promote ones Health. Getting less than that you
are being ripped off of the money you spent expecting nutrients. FAKE FOOD…made from Fake colors, Fake flavors, otherwise
known as Artificial, are non foods and lack the nutrients you are paying for…Rip Off…! Add to that the petrochemical preservatives
…and what?…the food too old already…another Rip Off…!
7.) Kids! We know you are not reading this but parents and schools are not aware of what you are eating, they allow you to have these
Fake foods only because they are unaware, and this is why people like us write these comments to help parents and schools make
informed choices for your food. You do not have to be over weight, obese, sluggish, have brain fog, tired, or not do well in school, or
just feel like you are not all there.
You need real, live, all natural food…food from nature not the factory. Read the labels, protect your children and yourself at the same
time. Fruits and vegetables can be 100% natural if they have no chemicals sprayed or injected into them are not over cooked as high
Heat and long cooking Time destroys the vitamins and the other vital nutrients.
Mahalo
Charles
OK, let’s hear it from the Nay Sayers, and gracious other contributors of constructive critiques.