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Color Me Healthy
| Name | Marilyn Peters | | Situation | South Carolina is a state with significant socio-economic problems that precipitate some of the lowest rankings in the nation in a host of arenas, including poverty, educational attainment and health. Within South Carolina, Colleton County frequently ranks at or near the bottom in these and other arenas. For example, according to the 2000 Census:
30.4% did not earn a high school diploma
21.1% live in poverty (compared to 14.1% of South Carolinians
and 12.4% of the U.S. population)
28.9% of children live in poverty
12% of families have an income of less than $10,000
Additionally, health statistics in South Carolina—particularly for
diseases with a direct correlation to dietary choices—are abysmal for all of the state. South Carolina is:
4th in the nation for diabetes
2nd in the nation for diabetes among African-Americans
3rd in the nation for rates of prostate cancer
2nd in the nation for rates of stroke death
The situation is worse yet in Colleton County. According to South Carolina’s Office of Research & Statistics, residents of “very rural”
areas of South Carolina are:
44% more likely than urban residents to die from a heart attack
37% more likely than urban residents to die from a stroke
54% more likely than urban residents to be hospitalized for atherosclerosis
52% more likely than urban residents to be hospitalized for hypertension
57% more likely than urban residents to die from diabetes
The prevalence of overweight and obesity has become one of the most critical health issues in both South Carolina and the United States. In 2003, South Carolina had the 13th worst obesity rate in the nation. Obesity rates have nearly doubled in South Carolina since 1990 and over 60% of all adults are now either overweight or obese. This issue also affects South Carolina’s younger citizens, as 25% of high school students and 25% of low-income children aged 2-5 are overweight or at risk of
overweight.
Overweight and obesity and the associated risk factors of unhealthy eating and inadequate amount of physical activity increase the risk for developing other chronic conditions and diseases, such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, certain cancers, arthritis, sleep apnea, and depression. These chronic conditions result in a significant economic toll to the health care system. The total cost of obesity in the United States was $117 billion in 2000. Obesity-attributable medical costs for South Carolina alone reached over one billion dollars in 2003, and over half of these costs were through Medicaid/Medicare. South Carolina has some of the highest rates of obesity-related chronic disease such as heart disease, stroke, and diabetes in the nation.
Certainly, obesity is a complex condition, with behavioral, biological, and environmental factors, and the causes are not yet completely understood. However, for most people, overweight and obesity are the result of an imbalance between caloric intake and caloric expenditure. Healthy lifestyles that include regular physical activity and good eating habits are the most effective way to prevent obesity, and paramount among good eating habits is adequate consumption of high-quality fruits and
vegetables such as those available at local farmer’s markets. Currently, over 75% of South Carolinians (and 82% of youth) do not consume the recommended number of fruits and vegetables per day. | | Response | Color Me Healthy is a curriculum for pre-schools and kindergartens that teaches children the importance of making healthy food choices and of physical activity. It was developed by North Carolina State University. Color Me Healthy was designed to reach children with fun, innovative, interactive learning opportunities that encourage physical activity and healthy eating. Color Me Healthy includes a variety of materials to make
healthy eating and physical activity fun for the children--including
posters, picture cards, and original music. It uses exploration of the
senses to teach children that healthy food and physical activity are
fun!
Two Colleton County Extension agents were trained by DHEC to be regional Color Me Healthy trainers. DHEC obtained a grant from the Blue Cross/Blue Shield Educational Foundation which would provide free curriculum kits and activity bags (value: $85) for teachers across the state. | | Impact | Three Color Me Healthy Classes were provided for Early Childhood Education teachers in Colleton County. The first was for teachers in the public school system, the second was for teachers in private kindergartens and day care center, and the third was for teachers in the First Steps program. In all, 41 teachers were trained. They contact 428 children daily.
All stated that they gained knowledge and said that the curriculum would be easy or somewhat easy to implement in the classroom. |
Last update5/9/2008
This website is maintained by Amy West.
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