Reducing teen obesity is our goal

The NCAFP Adolescent Obesity & Inactivity Initiative is part of 21 other programs funded by the NC Health and Wellness Trust Fund under the umbrella FitTogether. The mission of all of the programs is to address the rising rates of childhood obesity and inactivity across the state.

The NCAFP project is working to build a referral system between family physicians and local Cooperative Extension Services Agents in 15 counties. Along with partners from the NC PTA, Start With Your Heart, NC Department of Public Instruction, and Eat Smart Move More, the Academy is targeting the youth population that are patients of family physicians in North Carolina. The team has developed a resource kit for physicians that will enable them to provide initial assessment, distribute materials, and refer patients if appropriate, to an Extension Agent or other local resource for follow-up counseling and support.

Advisory Committee Members

Mott Parks Blair, IV, MD
Chairman
Duplin County

Carolyn Dunn, Ph. D
NC Cooperative Extension Services
Wake County

Maureen E. Murphy, MD
Alleghany County

E. Bruce Elliston, MD
Buncombe County

William Franklin Sease, Jr., MD
Buncombe County

James H. Early MD
Buncombe County

Shannon Brown Dowler, MD
Buncombe County

Ann Kulik, MD
Guilford County

W. Rodwell Drake, Jr., MD
Granville County

Thomas F. Koinis, MD
Granville County

J. Thomas Newton, MD
Sampson County

Thomas M. Shelburne, MD
Surry County

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The Patient Care Process

Once implemented, the initiative will serve as a framework for ongoing nutritional and lifestyle intervention utilizing family physicians and cooperative partners.

Pilot Counties*

In September 2004, the NCAFP Foundation announced that physicians in nine NC counties have agreed to be pilot sites for a cohort study being conducted by Duke University, East Carolina University and the Division of Public Health for Program Planning and Evaluation. Physicians in these locations identified children and teens to be weighed, measured for height, checked for BMI and to take a simple survey to assess eating and physical activity. The patients were brought back for three follow up data collection visits. Now that all of the data is collected, it is currently being combined with totals from all of the other FitTogether projects funded by the NC Health and Wellness Trust Fund.

• Alleghany
• Duplin
• Hertford
• Hoke
• Vance
• Guilford
• Mitchell
• Sampson
• Wake

*Pilot counties selection was based on physician interest, the availability of local cooperative extension services agents, demographics, urban and rural locations. These counties recruited a combined total of 109 children and adolescents as part of a cohort. The study is being conducted by Duke University, East Carolina University and the North Carolina Division of Public Health for Program Planning and Evaluation. There are 21 other FitTogether projects across the state funded by the NC Health and Wellness Trust Fund.