UPMC Health Plan launches initiative to combat childhood obesity in Armstrong

Andrew Rea is not your typical 6-year-old. This Armstrong County first grader is a devotee of the new food pyramid and frequently quizzes his parents on their portions of protein, carbohydrates, fruits, and vegetables. Andrew recently took up swimming and soccer to stay in shape, while his 11-year-old sister regularly hops on the treadmill.

It wasn’t always this way in the Rea household. Jennifer Rea, Andrew’s mother, says the family was more sedentary, watched a bit more television, and certainly wasn’t thinking about healthy portions.

“I can’t say we had awful habits, but we just weren’t cautious about health,” says Mrs. Rea. “Since the HEALTHY Armstrong program began, we’ve really started to focus on getting in our five fruit and vegetable servings every day. We’ve all started walking more, and my husband has even lost 60 pounds. There is a new focus in our family.” 

The Rea family is one of the most visible success stories of HEALTHY Armstrong, which stands for Healthy Eating and Active Lifestyles — Together Helping Youth. The HEALTHY Armstrong program is designed to create a countywide approach to rising numbers of overweight children and the related health risks. Spearheading the effort are program partners Armstrong School District, ACMH Hospital (Armstrong Center for Medicine and Health), ACMH Hospital Foundation, Children’s Community Pediatrics-Armstrong, and UPMC Health Plan.
 
An estimated 35 percent of children in the Armstrong School District — about 2,170 students — have a body mass index, or BMI, showing that they are heavier than 85 percent of children of their age and gender nationally, according to the first survey of the students conducted last year. Since planning for the program began more than two years ago, the school district has changed its menu to offer healthier foods and has eliminated soft drinks from vending machines in the schools. Most schools in the district now have in-school wellness programs and after-school programs in development.

“The rise of childhood obesity is a significant concern for all of us who are focused on improving the health of our community,” says Diane P. Holder, president, UPMC Health Plan. “We believe Armstrong County’s community-based program is an innovative public health approach to not only successfully address the root causes of this problem, but also to establish a sense of community ownership and pride in the health of its children.”