COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT: By: Polina Papadopulos, B.S.

NUTRITION INTERVENTION ON Queens College Dietetic Intern

CHILDHOOD OVERWEIGHT & OBESITY

 OVERVIEW
Childhood obesity increased in 20 years
Bronx: highest concentration in NY
Head Start Program

Bronx, New York

Diagnosis:
Food and nutrition-related knowledge deficit related to inadequate nutrition-related
education and language/cultural barriers as evidenced by data showing the increased
incidence of overweight/obesity and environmental observation.
OVERVIEW
Will Discuss:
Prevalence of obesity: nationally, in New York, in the Bronx, in HS
Program
Intervention
Marketing plan
Resource needs
Detailed lesson plan
Monitoring and Evaluation
 INTRODUCTION
Childhood Obesity:
U.S. : 25% children overweight; 11% obese
Bigger affect on children from low-income
families
Many factors play role in obesity rise:
Behavioral
Environmental
Cultural
INTRODUCTION
Best method of controlling weight:
Eating a Balanced Diet + Physical Activity
INTRODUCTION
Consequences of Obesity:
Grow up to be obese adults
High Blood Pressure
High Cholesterol (CVD risk)
Impaired glucose tolerance Type 2 Diabetes
Breathing problems
Joint problems
Psychological/social problems

PREVENTION IS IMPORTANT!!
PREVALENCE OF OBESITY
New York
8th lowest adult obesity rate in the nation
Adult obesity rate: 25% (17.1% increase
from 2000)
26th rank/51 states: 14.3% for childhood
obesity (ages 3-4)
1 in 4 Head Start children are obese

Bronx
Least healthy county of NY
High rates of chronic disease (obesity)
High rates of poverty & low education
>1/2 Bronx speaks language other than
English
32% of all adults are obese
South Bronx Healthy food desert
 CULTURE OF BRONX
Catholic: Mainly Hispanic
Hispanic belief: God is an active
53% of population in force in everyday life
Bronx is Hispanic Value: family over
Belmont, East Tremont: individual/community needs
65% Hispanic
Head Start Program: 33 Traditional Healthcare Practices:
Students: 30.3% Hispanic Herbal teas, care from relatives,
traditional healthcare providers
(lack of medical insurance
coverage)

Good Health = good luck or reward for good behavior

Mal de Ojo
FOOD INTAKE
Hispanic Cuisine
FOOD AVAILABILITY
Food Deserts
Belmont & East Tremont: adults
more likely to consume sweetened
beverages, less likely to eat fresh
fruits/vegetables
39% consume >1 sugary
drinks/day
80% have <1 fruit/veg/day

Deli/Bodegas, Chinese restaurants,

Mexican restaurants, NO Grocery
Food Stores within walking distance
of St. Martin
HEAD START PROGRAM
Meals provided are delivered and
then assembled at the site
Follow CACFP Guidelines
Low in added sugar, sodium and fat
Serves breakfast, lunch and snack
What students eat outside of
program is not monitored
COMMUNITY HEALTH NEEDS

Growing need for healthy food availability, nutrition education

addressing the Hispanic population, Black/African American
community and single-parent households.
METHODOLOGY
Head Start Program: 33 children (2-5 years)
Charts: anthropometric measurements (height,
weight, BMI); Triage Form
 DATA
Table 1. Overweight Percentage of Female Table 2. Obese Percentage of Female and
Male Students and Male Students
Overweight Obesity

3%
9%
15%

6% Females Females
Males Males
F/M Other Other

79%
88%

Table 3. Students above normal BMI range

Above Normal BMI 21.2% of students are overweight, 12.1% are obese
If placed into 1 group: 33.3% have >normal
weight/BMI range
21%
Overweight

Of the 11 overweight students, 10 are Hispanic, 1

Obese
12%
67% Other

African
PES STATEMENT

Food and nutrition-related knowledge deficit

related to inadequate nutrition-related education
and language/cultural barriers as evidenced by
data showing the increased incidence of
overweight/obesity and environmental observation.
HEALTHY PEOPLE 2020
Healthy People (HP) provides science-based, 10-year national
objectives for improving health of all Americans.
Vision: live in a society in which all people live long, healthy lives
4 overarching goals that are purposefully ambiguous
2 goals related to this assessment that follow SMART Guidelines:
reduce the proportion of children aged 2 to 5 years who were considered
obese by 9.4% by 2020
increase by 21.3% the proportion of schools that do not sell or offer
calorically sweetened beverages to students by 2020
 INTERVENTION
Nutrition Education directed towards parents of overweight/obese students

Lesson Plan: Eating The Rainbow (1 hour workshop with parents/staff)

Encourages participants to eat more fruits and vegetables
Demonstrate how to add more f/v to diet
Handouts: Eat the Rainbow, Easy Ways to Eat More Fruits and Vegetables, Shredded
Rainbow Salad Recipe
Monitoring/Evaluating Pre-test, post-test
 MARKETING
The 4 Ps in Marketing
Price: cost of handouts, food supply and labor
Product: group workshop on nutrition topic that addresses a healthcare need
Promotion: nutrition workshop, counseling, flyers, handouts
Place: School, Head Start Program
 RESOURCES
1. Pre-test and post-test copies
2. Colors of Good Health handout copies
3. Chosen recipe copies (Shredded Rainbow Salad)
4. Chosen recipe ingredients (~$15-$30)
5. Forks and plates/bowls/tasting cups to sample recipe
6. Serving spoon
7. Cooking equipment required for chosen recipe
8. Poster board or dry erase board; or computer screen/monitor
9. Markers compatible with above board this lesson requires one black (for writing), red
and/or orange, yellow and/or orange, purple and/or blue, green, and brown marker
10. Pens for clients
 MONITORING & EVALUATION
Evaluation:
Pre-Test & Post-Test
Monitoring:
Checking anthropometric measurements for change via physical exams
Progress indicators: weight maintenance; adherence to associated growth chart
Purpose:
NOT WEIGHT LOSS because it compromises growth
IS WEIGHT CONTROL (preventing further wt gain if >95th percentile)
Diet: diet recall, food diary
Report collected/evaluated every school year (Sep June)