by KIM HILSENBECK
Combating the childhood obesity issue, called an epidemic by many experts, takes a community. At least that’s how Hays CISD is approaching possible solutions.
Using data from state-mandated “Fitnessgrams,” which are screenings for all students beginning in third grade, Hays CISD worked with Children’s Optimal Health to produce maps that identify areas of the district with the most need for help battling the bulge.
Those maps were shared with key community leaders at the first Obesity Summit in May. According to Ruth Roberts, director of student health for Hays CISD, the summit attendees included district employees, city leaders, local health care professionals, grocery store representatives, parks and recreation department employees and law enforcement personnel.
“The purpose of the summit was to derive a strategic plan; not only for our school district, but also for our community,” said Whitney Self, a fitness and wellness instructor with Hays CISD.
Presentations at the half-day summit featured body mass index maps and Fitnessgram data. The maps showed the neighborhoods where Hays CISD students live, with distinct markings for those who are at 85 percent or above on the Body Mass Index chart, the 85th percentile is characterized as being overweight. At 95 percent, a child is considered obese.
The maps also showed access to parks and green space, grocery stores and fast food restaurants.
According to the Fitnessgram data, 39 percent of Hays CISD students are overweight or obese.
Obesity among white students in grades 3-12 was 14 percent. It was higher for African American children at 18 percent and 25 percent for Hispanic children.
Other findings show that excessive weight and obesity affects elementary and middle schools across the district, however, concentrations of elementary and middle school students with high BMIs are concentrated along Interstate 35 east of Buda, in Kyle and in neighborhoods across eastern Hays County.
From 23-55 percent of students in Hays CISD elementary schools are overweight or obese. That range increases to 35-54 percent for middle schools.
Slightly more than half of elementary school students have a BMI of 55 percent, placing them in the healthy range. At middle schools, 56 percent of students have a healthy BMI.
At the three Hays CISD high schools, obesity ranges from 33 to 36 percent. A larger percentage of high school students, 63 percent, have a healthy BMI.
Summit participants acknowledged that several area organizations are already trying to address the obesity issue, such as the Coordinated Approach to Community Health program used at Hays CISD, the U.S. Department of Agriculture MyPlate program, the HCISD roving chef program, the YMCA MEND program and others.
Hays CISD has already implemented two of the summit ideas; this summer they offered a low-cost fitness camp that included healthy snacks. When school begins next month, two HCISD elementary schools, Buda and Hemphill, will run a pilot test program of physical education classes five days a week.
But seeing the maps and the various hotspots around the district provides few answers regarding the obesity problem. For that reason, Self and Roberts structured the summit to include small group round table discussions. Each team pondered the problems and developed a list of ideas and possible solutions.
The teams discussed:
• Causes of obesity in Buda and Kyle
• Causes of inactivity in Kyle and Buda
• Ways to help curb the obesity trend
• Ideas for effective change and an action plan for getting there
• The most important issues that are not or inadequately being addressed (i.e., identify the gaps)
On the previous page, is a summary of some of the ideas from the summit participants. For a full list, see the report on the Hays CISD website.
Roberts acknowledged that ending the obesity problem does not stop at the school door and that family involvement is necessary.
“We do need support from parents and families. That is huge,” said Roberts. “It’s about the child’s entire lifestyle at home and at school.”
