| Childhood obesity is considered one of the nation's
fastest growing epidemics and one of the leading causes of type 2
diabetes.� It's estimated that more than five million children in the
United States are obese, and� 85 percent of this group is diagnosed with
type 2 diabetes.� Type 2 is the most common form of diabetes, and if left
untreated can lead to� heart disease, blindness, nerve and/or kidney
damage.� It is a disease that disproportionately affects African Americans
and Hispanics.�������
�
In a
effort to help stem the tide of this nationwide epidemic,�Sinai
Hospital�of Baltimore has begun a new community initiative
program.� Sinai will be partnering with a variety of neighborhood centers
to jump-start nutrition and exercise programs throughout the community. The
pilot program is now under way in collaboration with St. Ambrose Outreach Center
in Park Heights.� "Reaching Healthy Heights: Children Preventing type 2
Through Power Foods and Fitness" has been funded by a grant from the Aetna
Foundation.
"Through this program, our goal is to make the biggest impact on the health
issues facing the residents of our community," said Neil Meltzer, president of
Sinai Hospital.� "And reducing cardiovascular conditions in the high-risk
populations within our community means focusing on obesity and preventing type 2
diabetes.� We are proud to be working with such organizations as St.
Ambrose and are grateful for the financial help companies like Aetna can
provide."
The Reaching Healthy Heights program is designed to teach children what a
well-balanced and nutritious diet is and how eating healthy and exercising can
help them grow up to be healthy adults. Pediatricians from Sinai assessed 75
children who are part of the St. Ambrose after-school program.� The
children, who range in ages from 7 to 14, had their blood pressure measured;
their height and weight were also measured, which helped to determine their body
mass index.�
The program features biweekly educational sessions, which focus on teaching
the children about healthy eating and exercise.� The children's parents are
also encouraged to get involved.� Program educators will work with the
parents, teaching them the importance of proper diets, meal selection and safe
exercise routines.
Sinai recently undertook a comprehensive study of what community health
initiatives have the potential to make the biggest difference and found that, as
in the rest of the nation, childhood obesity and its related diseases are a
major problem in its neighborhoods.� Dr. Peter Beilenson, the former
Baltimore City health commissioner, identified obesity in children as the number
one priority that could optimally be�addressed by a major health care
provider such as Sinai Hospital.
�The Aetna Foundation, which provided the grant for The Reaching Healthy
Heights program, is the independent charitable and philanthropic arm of Aetna
Inc.� Founded in 1972, Aetna Foundation seeks to help build healthy
communities by funding initiatives that improve the quality of life where their
employees and customers work and live. "Improving the quality of health by
reducing racial and ethnic disparities is a central objective for Aetna," said
Aetna Chairman and CEO John W. Rowe, M.D.��
Sinai Hospital is part of�LifeBridge Health, a regional healthcare organization that
also includes�Northwest Hospital Center,�Levindale Hebrew
Geriatric Center and Hospital,�Jewish
Convalescent & Nursing Home, and related subsidiaries and
affiliates.
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