Healthy Kids Healthy New Mexico

1. Healthy Kids Healthy New Mexico New Mexico Department of Health Patricia McGrath Morris, PhD Senior Advisor, Office of the Secretary Legislative Health and Human Services Committee Hearing Las Cruces. July 17, 2008

2. Building a Fit Future • Healthy children from pregnancy through youth; • Healthy communities; and • A healthy future.

3. Childhood Obesity A Public Health Epidemic • Childhood obesity rates continue to soar – nearly quadrupling nationwide in the past 30 years. • Increases in childhood obesity have resulted in dramatic increases in type 2 diabetes & heart disease in our youth – phenomena that rarely existed a generation ago.

4. Childhood Obesity A Public Health Epidemic • The cumulative effect could be the nation’s first generation destined to have a shorter life span than its predecessor. • With 1 in 3 children nationwide being overweight or obese the future health and productivity of an entire generation and a nation could be in jeopardy.

5. NM youth fare worse

6. Obesity rates for NM kids ages 2-5 continue to climb

7. Best practices* for kids ages 2-19 years who are overweight or obese • 5 or more servings of fruits and vegetables daily. • 2 or fewer hours of screen time daily. • 1 hour or more of physical activity. • No sugar-sweetened beverages. • Eating a daily breakfast. • Limiting meals outside the home. • Family meals should happen at least 5-6 times a week. • Allowing children to self-regulate their meals and avoiding overly restrictive behaviors. * Recommendations developed by an Expert Committee convened by the American Medical Association.

8. The New Mexico Interagency for the Prevention of Obesity • Established by the HHS Cabinet Secretaries in fall 2006 • Under DOH leadership, the Interagency is charged to: • Build greater alignment across state programs to create consistent and collaborative efforts and messages that increase physical activity, improve nutritional well-being, and prevent obesity; • Partner with the private sector to strengthen and support obesity prevention programs; and • Develop policies for obesity prevention.

9. Interagency Members 8 state departments: more than 40 state programs • Aging and Long Term Services Department • Children, Youth and Families • Department of Agriculture • Department of Health • Department of Transportation • Human Services Department • Public Education Department • State Parks Division

10. Interagency Affiliates • American Heart Association • Envision New Mexico • NM Food and Agriculture Policy Council • NM Healthier Weight Council • NMSU Cooperative Extension Services

11. Interagency Community Pilot “If we want to be a healthy Las Cruces, it starts with healthy kids; and if we want healthy kids, it starts with a healthy Las Cruces” Las Cruces Sun-News editorial, April 29, 2008

12. Aims to create and sustain community efforts that motivate children, youth and families to eat healthier and be more physically active. • Strong collaborative effort with the City of Las Cruces, Las Cruces Public Schools, Interagency members, and nearly 50 local community leaders. • Community leaders represent local government, education, healthcare, human and social services, agriculture, non-profit and faith-based organizations, academia, foundations and businesses.

13. Recognizes interrelationship between individuals & the environment • Community & Regional Planning • Improve “walkability” in Las Cruces (e.g. Safe Routes to School). • Educational System • Promote healthy eating & physical activity in classrooms, cafeteria and the school at large. • Families & Community • Adopt healthy lifestyles. • Food Systems • Increase access to an affordable, seasonal and nutritious food supply and provide consumer nutritional information on foods offered in schools, local food stores, and restaurants. • Healthcare Systems • Increase obesity prevention and treatment healthcare services (e.g. DOH’s HEAL program).

14. Expected Outcomes (1-5 years) • Improved eating habits; • Increased physical activity; and • Healthier weights.

15. Next Steps Replicate Healthy Kids, Las Cruces across the state. To accomplish: • Create DOH Healthy Kids Regional Teams; • Build a strong statewide obesity monitoring and program evaluation system; and • Coordinate state efforts and policies across departments and build collaborative efforts with communities.

16. Next Steps Healthy Kids Regional Teams • Multidisciplinary team of specialists in nutrition, physical activity, social work, community-building, and health education. • Collaborate with community partners to create a Healthy Kids, Healthy Community obesity prevention initiative (Las Cruces). • Work with the healthcare system to provide individual & group treatment for obese kids. • Targeted intervention sites include: WIC clinics, Daycare Centers, Head Start, ISD offices, public schools, school-based health centers, public health clinics, and physician offices.

17. Next Steps Healthy Kids Monitoring & Evaluation • Track the prevalence and associated risk factors of overweight and obesity in kids. Currently monitor WIC kids and high school students. • Evaluate obesity prevention programs to measure effectiveness and identify promising practices to replicate elsewhere.

18. Next Steps Healthy Kids State Coordination • Build greater alignment and collaborative obesity prevention efforts and messages across New Mexico’s more than 40 state health, nutrition, agriculture, education, and physical activity programs. • Address gaps that exist in the continuum and quality of nutrition and physical activity services, especially for those who are low-income and minorities.

19. Next Steps Healthy Kids State Coordination • Strengthen and mobilize a network of community and statewide partners from the public and private sectors to collaborate in obesity prevention efforts. • Collaborate with community-wide initiatives to implement locally-determined venues that motivate children, youth and families to change their eating and physically activity behaviors to those that promote health and prevent obesity.