STATE OF ALABAMA OFFICE OF WOMEN'S HEALTH "ALABAMA TOGETHER ONE STEP AT A TIME"

Alabama Nurse, Sep-Nov 2005

Combating Obesity in Alabama Women

The Alabama Department of Public Health's Office of Women's Health is coordinating the development and implementation of a weight loss initiative that will be offered in communities throughout Alabama. We are partnering with the Alabama Obesity Task Force and the Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH) Office of Minority Health, Nutrition and Physical Activity Unit, and Diabetes Branch to train Community Health Advisors (CHAs) on a new ADPH obesity campaign "Alabama Together One Step at a Time" to promote weight loss in every county across Alabama. This project will be piloted in Macon, Greene, and Lowndes Counties first followed by Wilcox, and Dallas Counties. Additional training will be scheduled as funding allows. These Counties were selected because statistics show a very high incidence of obesity. Why is this obesity project an important initiative? Because Alabama State Health Statistics indicate that this State has one of the highest incidences of overweight and obesity in the Nation. Over 62 % of Alabama's adult population are considered overweight or obese. These statistics also indicate that Alabama has an unusually high incidence of diabetes and cardiovascular disease, which, in many cases, are considered complications obesity.

Overweight and obesity increases the risk of a number of other female health problems such as hypertension, dyslipidemia, osteoarthritis, depression, certain cancers, sleep apnea, and other health disorders.

The Office of Women's Health is part of the ADPH and is charged with addressing health issues within the state that are relevant to women. The office serves as an advocate for all women in the State of Alabama by providing resources, education, programs, and initiatives to assist women with improving personal and family wellness.

Training seminars will be conducted throughout Alabama to teach community volunteers a structured nutrition and physical activity so that they can lead a community based weight loss program.

For more information please contact Jessica Hardy at 334-206-5665, jhardy@adph.state.al.us or Gwen Lipscomb at 334-206-5396, glipscomb@adph.state.al.us.

7 Steps to a Healthier Life:

1. Determine your situation and decide if your food and activity choices are healthy for you and your family members. Write down changes that need to take place in your lifestyle to improve your physical and mental well-being. You can improve your quality of life as well as the quality of life of those around you by taking care of yourself. This is as simple as admitting you have a weight problem and need to change in order to live a longer, healthier, more productive and fulfilling life.

2. Set goals that will fit your lifestyle. Ask yourself where you want to be in three months. When you obtain that goal, make a new one. Breaking it down into obtainable feats will increase your confidence and strengthen your determination to keep working towards a healthiter life. For example, replacing sugar-filled drinks with water can help you lose an average of 14 pounds in one year. This drop in weight will lessen your chances of dying early from obesity. Remember when cutting calories, every little bit counts all day long.

3. Creating a support network will help you stick to your goals. You are not alone in the struggle to lead a healthy lifestyle. Let your family and friends be part of the process of exercising and eating healthier versions of your favorite meals. By changing our eating and exercise habits we can influence future generations.

4. Healthy eating is a factor in weight loss. Most of us consume more calories than we burn off and that amounts to weight gain. Portion control and more fruits and vegetables are steps in the right direction. Many people have found that writing down what they eat throughout the day helps them be more conscious of their food intake. Then they are able to see trouble spots in their day where they eat more. See our website for recipes and information on serving sizes. Check with your health care provider to make sure your food choices are right for you.

5. Exercise and toning are also factors in weight loss. There are many exercise plans available. Find what plan best suits your health status and your lifestyle, but remember all exercise plans should be reviewed by your health care provider. If time is an issue, try breaking up your exercise sessions into three 10-minute sessions throughout the day. Using weights just twice a week for 10 minutes will tone your muscles and strengthen your body. Our website (see below) will provide information on exercise plans and how exercise can improve your health.

6. Reflection and meditation can help you come up with ways other than eating to cope with stress, to enjoy yourself, or even to try to turn down food offered by friends and family. Awareness of our actions can help us see that there are ways to overcome obstacles in our lives, ways that begin with feeling calm and in control of ourselves. Take a minute to relax and get your sense of control back so it's easier to make healthy choices that you can feel good about.