Re: Re: An Alternative to Outlawing Sodas - Opinion Piece

[Guest guest]

Be sure to comment on it - I did!

>

>

> An effective intervention would be referral to RDs on an annual basis as

> part of the annual physical. If a problem is identified, then a minimum of a

> return visit to the RD within six months.

> Something else to be aware of, FSA rules have changed and in order to use

> the FSA money for vitamins, supplements, it is necessary for a qualified

> practitioner to write a letter of necessity to cover it (yup, with your own

> money) A visit to an RD is an effective, cost efficient use of tax dollars.

> Raphaela Rozanski, MS, RD, LDN

>

>

> >

> > link here<

>

http://www.medpagetoday.com/Columns/24108?utm_content=GroupCL & utm_medium=email & i\

mpressionId=1293692770295 & utm_campaign=DailyHeadlines & utm_source=mSpoke & userid=1\

34896

> >

> > *My NOTE: You can comment on the piece too!!*

>

> >

> > Our national health status is in imminent danger from the effects of a

> > condition that most population health experts acknowledge is out of

> control.

> >

> > I am speaking of obesity -- and, in particular, its increasing prevalence

> in

> > American adolescents and children.

> >

> > Almost every study that has been done concerning obesity shows a

> correlation

> > with soda consumption. As a result, some states and municipalities have

> > tried to implement initiatives that make it more difficult (or expensive)

> > for people to purchase sugary soft drinks.

> >

> > Even President Obama has " weighed in " on the topic. He was quoted as

> saying

> > that such initiatives were worth putting on the table as Congress debated

> > healthcare reform.

> >

> > I have asked guest columnist, Diane Abatemarco, PhD, MSW, associate

> > professor and director of doctoral programs here at the Jefferson School

> of

> > Population Health, to react to the initiatives that have appeared in the

> > national media and to share her experience with an innovative program

> aimed

> > at reducing childhood obesity -- a program that engages physicians and

> > features " carrots " as well as " sticks. "

> >

> > Dr. Abatemarco worked with the innovators of the program to implement and

> > evaluate it at three family medicine centers in western Pennsylvania.

> >

> > Those in positions to fashion health policy should take note.

> >

> > Dr. Abatemarco writes:

> >

> > *In March of this year, the mayor of Philadelphia proposed a tax on

> > sweetened beverages such as soda, energy drinks, and bottled teas. Months

> > later, the mayor of New York sought federal permission to bar the city's

> 1.7

> > million food stamp recipients from using food stamps to buy soda or other

> > sugared drinks.*

> >

> > *Whether you agree with these controversial legislative actions or not,

> > public health professionals and researchers agree that obesity among the

> > nation's youth is an epidemic.*

> >

> > *More and more children, ages 9 to 12, have health issues related to

> > overweight and, while most children see their pediatrician or family

> > physician yearly, there has been no decrease in the rate of weight gain

> > among children.*

> >

> > *The real question before intervening with children and their families is

> > " Whose job is it to tell parents that their child is overweight, obese,

> or

> > morbidly obese? " *

> >

> > *R**esearchers have found that some physicians are uncomfortable bringing

> up

>

> > the subject of children's weight because, quite often, the parents are

> > overweight as well.*

> >

> > *Other physicians may be reluctant to discuss the topic because they do

> not

> > want to make their patients feel uncomfortable.*

> >

> > *Adding to the problem, we have yet to figure out how to deliver

> educational

> > messages about nutritional alternatives to typical inexpensive fast

> foods.*

> >

> > *But interventions such as *Fitwits MD* have shown promise in the pilot

> > phase of testing.*

> >

> > *Developed by researchers , at Carnegie Mellon University,

> and

> > Ann McGaffey, MD, of the University of Pittsburgh, and directed at

> > physicians, *Fitwits MD* is a brief educational intervention that

> includes

> > physician tools, children's games, food recipes to share with parents,

> and

> > tips to help change family behavior.*

> >

> > *Pilot data showed that the 50% of physicians and residents who adopted

> the

> > intervention used it for the majority of well-child visits.*

> >

> > *Qualitative data from the participating physicians showed that the tool

> > facilitated discussions with the child and the family regarding weight,

> BMI,

> > nutrition, and exercise.*

> >

> > *Participating physicians reported that spending a few extra minutes on

> the

> > subject seemed to make a meaningful contribution to the child's and

> family's

> > welfare.*

> >

> > *The physicians also reported personal feelings of confidence and

> > competence.*

> >

> > *The intervention also changed physician beliefs about why patients are

> > overweight and about patients' resistance to making needed behavior

> changes.

> > *

> >

> > *In post-intervention interviews, participants reported that the real

> > barriers are the lack of convenient places to buy inexpensive healthy

> foods

> > and the lack of safe environments for children to play and enjoy physical

> > activity.*

> >

> > *If we are to turn the tide on childhood obesity and chronic illnesses

> that

> > result from overweight, we need more brief medical interventions that

> > include appropriate health literacy and easy-to-adopt behavioral

> changes.*

> >

> > *Clinical transitional research can be used to inform practice change as

> the

> > science of nutrition and excessive weight gain is translated to " real

> life "

> > experiences.*

> >

> > *The bottom line is that, if we want to move healthcare toward holistic

> > prevention, we must assist primary care physicians in taking on these

> > important issues without overburdening or overextending the office

> visit.*

> >

> > Fitwits MD is part of a larger project designed to change the way we

> think

> > about nutrition, exercise, and portion size. Featuring characters that

> > embody healthy foods (Fitwits) and nonhealthy food choices (Nitwits), the

> > project has school and community components as well.

> >

> > To read more about the intervention and its ideas on improving the health

> of

> > American children, visit

> > http://www.cmu.edu/homepage/health/2009/spring/fitwits.shtml.

> >

> >

> > --

> > Ortiz, MS, RD

> > *The FRUGAL Dietitian* <http://www.thefrugaldietitian.com>

>

> > Check out my blog: mixture of deals and nutrition

> > Food Face Plates $13 + Free shipping<

> http://thefrugaldietitian.com/?p=11569>

> > “Worst diet products and promotions of

> > 2010″<http://thefrugaldietitian.com/?p=11452>

> > <http://thefrugaldietitian.com/?p=10437> " Nutrition is a science, Not an

> > Opinion survey "

> >

> >

> >

[Guest guest]

Thanks:)

Sent from my iPhone

> Be sure to comment on it - I did!

>

> On Fri, Dec 31, 2010 at 12:09 PM, r_rozansk

> wrote:

>

> >

> >

> > An effective intervention would be referral to RDs on an annual

> basis as

> > part of the annual physical. If a problem is identified, then a

> minimum of a

> > return visit to the RD within six months.

> > Something else to be aware of, FSA rules have changed and in order

> to use

> > the FSA money for vitamins, supplements, it is necessary for a

> qualified

> > practitioner to write a letter of necessity to cover it (yup, with

> your own

> > money) A visit to an RD is an effective, cost efficient use of tax

> dollars.

> > Raphaela Rozanski, MS, RD, LDN

> >

> >

> > >

> > > link here<

> >

http://www.medpagetoday.com/Columns/24108?utm_content=GroupCL & utm_medium=email & i\

mpressionId=1293692770295 & utm_campaign=DailyHeadlines & utm_source=mSpoke & userid=1\

34896

> > >

> > > *My NOTE: You can comment on the piece too!!*

> >

> > >

> > > Our national health status is in imminent danger from the

> effects of a

> > > condition that most population health experts acknowledge is out

> of

> > control.

> > >

> > > I am speaking of obesity -- and, in particular, its increasing

> prevalence

> > in

> > > American adolescents and children.

> > >

> > > Almost every study that has been done concerning obesity shows a

> > correlation

> > > with soda consumption. As a result, some states and

> municipalities have

> > > tried to implement initiatives that make it more difficult (or

> expensive)

> > > for people to purchase sugary soft drinks.

> > >

> > > Even President Obama has " weighed in " on the topic. He was

> quoted as

> > saying

> > > that such initiatives were worth putting on the table as

> Congress debated

> > > healthcare reform.

> > >

> > > I have asked guest columnist, Diane Abatemarco, PhD, MSW,

> associate

> > > professor and director of doctoral programs here at the

> Jefferson School

> > of

> > > Population Health, to react to the initiatives that have

> appeared in the

> > > national media and to share her experience with an innovative

> program

> > aimed

> > > at reducing childhood obesity -- a program that engages

> physicians and

> > > features " carrots " as well as " sticks. "

> > >

> > > Dr. Abatemarco worked with the innovators of the program to

> implement and

> > > evaluate it at three family medicine centers in western

> Pennsylvania.

> > >

> > > Those in positions to fashion health policy should take note.

> > >

> > > Dr. Abatemarco writes:

> > >

> > > *In March of this year, the mayor of Philadelphia proposed a tax

> on

> > > sweetened beverages such as soda, energy drinks, and bottled

> teas. Months

> > > later, the mayor of New York sought federal permission to bar

> the city's

> > 1.7

> > > million food stamp recipients from using food stamps to buy soda

> or other

> > > sugared drinks.*

> > >

> > > *Whether you agree with these controversial legislative actions

> or not,

> > > public health professionals and researchers agree that obesity

> among the

> > > nation's youth is an epidemic.*

> > >

> > > *More and more children, ages 9 to 12, have health issues

> related to

> > > overweight and, while most children see their pediatrician or

> family

> > > physician yearly, there has been no decrease in the rate of

> weight gain

> > > among children.*

> > >

> > > *The real question before intervening with children and their

> families is

> > > " Whose job is it to tell parents that their child is overweight,

> obese,

> > or

> > > morbidly obese? " *

> > >

> > > *R**esearchers have found that some physicians are uncomfortable

> bringing

> > up

> >

> > > the subject of children's weight because, quite often, the

> parents are

> > > overweight as well.*

> > >

> > > *Other physicians may be reluctant to discuss the topic because

> they do

> > not

> > > want to make their patients feel uncomfortable.*

> > >

> > > *Adding to the problem, we have yet to figure out how to deliver

> > educational

> > > messages about nutritional alternatives to typical inexpensive

> fast

> > foods.*

> > >

> > > *But interventions such as *Fitwits MD* have shown promise in

> the pilot

> > > phase of testing.*

> > >

> > > *Developed by researchers , at Carnegie Mellon

> University,

> > and

> > > Ann McGaffey, MD, of the University of Pittsburgh, and directed at

> > > physicians, *Fitwits MD* is a brief educational intervention that

> > includes

> > > physician tools, children's games, food recipes to share with

> parents,

> > and

> > > tips to help change family behavior.*

> > >

> > > *Pilot data showed that the 50% of physicians and residents who

> adopted

> > the

> > > intervention used it for the majority of well-child visits.*

> > >

> > > *Qualitative data from the participating physicians showed that

> the tool

> > > facilitated discussions with the child and the family regarding

> weight,

> > BMI,

> > > nutrition, and exercise.*

> > >

> > > *Participating physicians reported that spending a few extra

> minutes on

> > the

> > > subject seemed to make a meaningful contribution to the child's

> and

> > family's

> > > welfare.*

> > >

> > > *The physicians also reported personal feelings of confidence and

> > > competence.*

> > >

> > > *The intervention also changed physician beliefs about why

> patients are

> > > overweight and about patients' resistance to making needed

> behavior

> > changes.

> > > *

> > >

> > > *In post-intervention interviews, participants reported that the

> real

> > > barriers are the lack of convenient places to buy inexpensive

> healthy

> > foods

> > > and the lack of safe environments for children to play and enjoy

> physical

> > > activity.*

> > >

> > > *If we are to turn the tide on childhood obesity and chronic

> illnesses

> > that

> > > result from overweight, we need more brief medical interventions

> that

> > > include appropriate health literacy and easy-to-adopt behavioral

> > changes.*

> > >

> > > *Clinical transitional research can be used to inform practice

> change as

> > the

> > > science of nutrition and excessive weight gain is translated to

> " real

> > life "

> > > experiences.*

> > >

> > > *The bottom line is that, if we want to move healthcare toward

> holistic

> > > prevention, we must assist primary care physicians in taking on

> these

> > > important issues without overburdening or overextending the office

> > visit.*

> > >

> > > Fitwits MD is part of a larger project designed to change the

> way we

> > think

> > > about nutrition, exercise, and portion size. Featuring

> characters that

> > > embody healthy foods (Fitwits) and nonhealthy food choices

> (Nitwits), the

> > > project has school and community components as well.

> > >

> > > To read more about the intervention and its ideas on improving

> the health

> > of

> > > American children, visit

> > > http://www.cmu.edu/homepage/health/2009/spring/fitwits.shtml.

> > >

> > >

> > > --

> > > Ortiz, MS, RD

> > > *The FRUGAL Dietitian* <http://www.thefrugaldietitian.com>

> >

> > > Check out my blog: mixture of deals and nutrition

> > > Food Face Plates $13 + Free shipping<

> > http://thefrugaldietitian.com/?p=11569>

> > > “Worst diet products and promotions of

> > > 2010″<http://thefrugaldietitian.com/?p=11452>

> > > <http://thefrugaldietitian.com/?p=10437> " Nutrition is a science,

> Not an

> > > Opinion survey "

> > >

> > >

> > >