Kids program to fight obesity wins state award

Eat less. Exercise more.

OK, OK, so you've heard it a thousand times.

But there are millions who may be fairly new to the message: our kids.

And as statistics showing increasing national obesity make the news, a local community took action.

"If you just look at the obesity rates, these kids are going to have a life disease if they keep going," said Julie Mayer, a Wauconda resident and community outreach manager for Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital in Barrington.

So in 2005, the hospital teamed up with a coalition including the village of Wauconda, the park district and -- most crucially -- Wauconda Unit District 118 to target childhood obesity in a test program for 369 area fifth-graders.

The result of all the hard work? Healthier kids, federal grant money to expand the project and a Governor's Hometown Award, which recognizes volunteer work in Illinois communities.

Mayer said the hospital brought dietitians to the school to discuss healthy eating, had kids keep a food log and also monitored their physical activity.

"It was just about making better choices," said Mayer, who noted the hospital was surprised to find the biggest problems came not in exercise but healthy eating. "That was one of our focuses the first year. … Kids were not even eating a good breakfast."

The project also focused on teaching kids about health issues, such as the dangers of smoking, food labels, portion control and more.

At the end of the year, kids who improved the most in their President's Fitness Challenge scores were entered into a raffle to win bicycles donated by the Wauconda Rotary Club. The police department donated helmets for the winners.

"Everybody really has an active role in it," Wauconda Grade School Principal Debra Monroe said. "It's been a wonderful project."

The coalition will attend a Springfield event Nov. 14 to accept its Governor's Hometown Award for the effort, and U.S. Rep. Melissa Bean recently secured a $33,000 federal grant for the project.

"I was told that based on --of course -- the budget and the passage of the budget, we will get the money," Mayor Salvatore Saccomanno said. "That's on its way."

Statistics the hospital kept from the project showed so much success the coalition decided to open the effort to include all district third- through fifth-graders this year.

Mayer said they found nearly 2 percent of the kids moved out of the overweight category. They also found a net reduction in body mass index and more students qualifying for Presidential Fitness awards.

"We're really excited," Wauconda Park District Director Nancy Burton said. "It's a big expansion."

And as Mayer said she has learned, the kids are just as jazzed up to take charge of their own health.

"They are so interested in these classes," she said. "Knowledge is power."

A healthy meal

Some methods Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital near Lake Barrington used to target bad eating habits, courtesy of hospital community outreach manager Julie Mayer:

• Had kids keep a food log. Reviewed what they ate and discussed how to make healthier choices.

• Didn't forbid favorite foods like chicken nuggets and pizza but suggested limiting them to once a week, for example.

• Induced kids to eat vegetables by talking about pairing them with some ranch dressing or cheese, for instance.

• Talked about food labels and portion sizes, showing them what a correct portion size is. Kids may be surprised to learn how much they're really eating.