Obesity Among Tohono O'odham Children

Program Details

• Students will have the option to play soccer, basketball, or do dance/aerobics class
• Activities will last around 30-40 minutes
• Following activity will be the healthy habits lecture for about 10 minutes

Health Education Methods -Program Overview

• Introduction Presentation at start (first two weeks) of school year: one for kids and another for parents
• Physical activities three times a week after school dismissal
• Brief lecture on healthy habits after activities once a week
• Closing Evaluations: Before winter and summer breaks

Example of an Elementary School Lecture on Nutrition

Objectives

As a result of poor water availability and little land for animal and plant cultivation, the Tohono O’odham people are battling one of the hardest diseases to overcome by mankind as it involves poor eating choices and behaviors.

Learning Objectives

• By the end of this program, 80% of the children will be able to identify healthy foods from unhealthy foods.
• By the end of this program, 100% of the children will know that physical activity is needed for a healthy lifestyle and demonstrate that with exercise logs

Movers 'N Groovers

Administrative Objectives

Combating Obesity in Tohono O'odham Children

• By August 2016, all children in grades 1-8 will have heard the presentation of Movers 'N Groovers in a class.
• By one year into the program, funding will be provided for new basketballs, soccer balls, goals, nets, new pennies, and other equipment for the Movers 'N Groovers.
• By one year into the program, there will be five faculty members trained at each school to coach, teach, and instruct Movers 'N Groovers.

Group 13

Cara Vereschagin, Siena Hall, Summer Contreras, Sheila Flores and Lauren Hedlof

• It was found that the most obese children were twice as likely to die before the age of 55
• Since obesity has become such a significant issue among American Indian children, our program plan was developed to address this growing problem
• Scholarly articles state that failure to reverse this growing obesity trend will have negative long-term consequences

Target Population

• Tohono O'odham children ages 1-14
• Program plan aimed at children ages 6-13
• Attending Indian Oasis Elementary, Indian Oasis Middle School, and Baboquivari Middle School

Type II Diabetes

• "Obesity has emerged as one of the most serious public health problems facing American- Indian children"
• "It has grave implications for the immediate and long term health of American-Indian youth"
• According to the Tohono O’odham Community Action (TOCA), the Tohono O’odham nation has the highest level of type 2 diabetes in the state of Arizona

The Model: Transtheoretical Model & Stages of Change

There are many chronic complications caused by diabetes which include:

• Accelerated rate of CVD
• End stage renal disease
• Loss of visual acuity
• Limb amputations
• Excess morbidity and mortality

Obesity is a risk factor for this larger, more severe health problem.

• By using this model, we know that change is not immediate.
• There are five stages that one will go through in order to successfully change their behavior.
• When we created our goals & objectives, we had a better understanding of the timeline to use.

Stages of Change

Precontemplation stage: Unaware, lacking knowledge of the problem. Not thinking of making behavior changes in the next six months

Contemplation stage: Aware of the consequences of poor health behaviors, but still not committed to action.

Preparation stage: Not ready to start, but preparing to change within the next month

Action stage: Actively participating in Movers 'N Groovers

Maintenance Stage: Physical activity and healthful food choices will continue six months after the end of Movers 'N Groovers

Objectives

Program Objectives

By January 2015, there will be a reduction rate of 25% of obesity and 10% of the prevalence of diabetes in Tohono O'odham Children attending Indian Oasis Elementary, Indian Oasis Middle School, and Baboquivari Middle School.

Behavioral Objectives

• By the end of this program, 60% of these children will be incorporating healthy foods into their diet, in a least ten meals a week.
• By the end of this program, 60% of the children will be exercising four times a week in the school sports programs, or with their family members on their own.

Goals

Reduce obesity levels in Tohono O'odham children, therefore reducing the prevalence of type II diabetes in this population, specifically in grades 1-8