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The University of Maine Cutler Health Center started a program designed to diminish the child obesity rates in the state of Maine on Aug. 10.
The program — called WOW, which stands for “the Way to Optimal Weight,” — focuses on personal goal setting. The program provides medical intervention, education and physical activity to young people from the ages of 4 to 19, hoping to keep them motivated to make healthier choices for the rest of their lives.
“As I tell my 5-, 6-, 7- or 8-year-olds, ‘I want you to have these habits till you’re 105,’” said pediatrician Valerie O’Hara. “Just like I tell them to brush their teeth every morning and night, ‘I want you to brush your teeth till you’re 105.’”
The program gives overweight individuals the chance to have a personalized treatment of health-related issues while gaining access to the Student Recreation and Fitness Center at UMaine. The program, which is lead by O’Hara, involves about six other individuals who come together to make the team effort, giving patients the personalized health routines they believe are necessary to achieve a healthier tomorrow.
“We found that if we sent them to the dietician and then said ‘Oh, by the way, find a place to exercise and come back next month,’ it was really over-whelming [for the patient],” O’Hara said. “So we asked, ‘How could we do things a little more comprehensively for families and maybe make it a little easier?’”
When children first enter the program, they have their initial visit with O’Hara and also see registered nurse Starr Johnston. Children go through three stages: During phase one they have eight weekly sessions; phase two they have six monthly sessions; and phase three they have quarterly visits or at most 12 visits, as the child thinks they are needed. With each visit to O’Hara and Johnston, they also see their personal trainer, Sarah Livingstone, for at least 30 minutes of activity, exercising in whatever way they desire. This gives the program a unique group collaboration that Livingston says really adds to the program.
“With our team we encompass all pieces of wellness,” Livingstone said. “Sometimes they’ll tell me something different that they didn’t mention to either of them [Johnston or O’Hara], and so we bring all those pieces together when we kind of sit down and discuss like, ‘What is it that they need to work on?’ so we have that collaborative piece. It’s really fantastic.”
The program also involves UMaine graduate students in the departments of psychology, athletics, the school of nursing and some involved in nutrition and dietary programs. With so many people involved attending to just one child’s health needs, Livingstone, O’Hara and Johnston hope to slowly start dwindling the obesity rate in Maine.
“We’re the most overweight, obese state in New England,” Johnston said. “You know how many times I’ve heard that recently? It’s crazy.”
Everyone behind the program says that a person’s willingness to change their lifestyle has to come from within. O’Hara says whatever goal a person wants to set is OK with her, as long as there is willingness behind it.
“It may not be the goal I would set for them, or initially what I think is most important,” O’Hara said, “but if they’re watching 18 hours of TV and they want to choose to go to skim milk, I’m OK with that.”
Bangor Daily News