Task Forces - Healthy Weight
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Meeting Schedule
The Healthy Weight Task Force meets on the 3rd Friday of every other month from 8:30am-10:00am at the Lowell Health Department, 341 Pine Street in Lowell.
Mission
The mission of the Healthy Weight Task Force is to develop and improve partnerships that are committed to leading Lowell area residents to a healthier community. Cross-cultural and intergenerational collaborations will build on strengths of the community to improve active living and nutrition for healthy minds and healthy bodies for all.
Obesity is considered by many to be the single greatest health threat to Americans today, especially in our children. Hailed by the Lowell Sun as "a new soldier in the war on obesity", the Greater Lowell Health Alliance has launched the Healthy Weight Task Force to raise awareness in our communities about this serious health threat. We meet monthly to develop and implement a long-term campaign to fight obesity.
Obesity will not be solved overnight. The Alliance is committed to measurable, long-term improvement in the quality and health of the community through awareness and successful grass-roots programs. We encourage you to join us in working with your family, your business, and your community to take a healthy step in reducing the impact of obesity.
Important Facts
Healthy Weight Task Force:
The Facts
Prevalence of Obesity
The prevalence of obesity in children and young adults has quadrupled over the past 25 years, and Americans are becoming obese at younger ages: Approximately 27 percent of U.S. adults are obese by their mid-30s.
For adults 20 - 74 years of age, the prevalence of obesity has increased from 15% in 1976 to 32.9%.
For children ages 2 - 5 years, prevalence increased from 5% to 13.9%.
For those 6 - 11 years, the increase was 6.5% to 18.8 %.
For those 12 - 19 years, the increase was 5% to 17.4%.
Definition of Obesity
Obesity is defined as a high amount of body fat in relation to lean body mass, which equals a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 30 or higher.
The Body Mass Index is a measure of weight in relation to height. Specifically, it is the height divided by the square of the weight.
Dangers of Obesity
An estimated 300,000 deaths per year may be attributable to obesity.
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Even moderate amounts of excess fat (10 to 20 pounds for a person of average height) increases the risk of death, particularly among adults aged 30 to 64 years, especially if this fat is stored as abdominal fat tissue.
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Individuals who are obese (BMI > 30) have a 50 to 100% increased risk of premature death from all causes, compared to individuals with a healthy weight.
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Heart disease is increased in persons who are overweight (BMI > 25) or obese (BMI > 30).
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High blood pressure is twice as common in adults who are obese than in those who are at a healthy weight.
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A weight gain of 11 to 18 pounds increases a person's risk of developing type 2 diabetes to twice that of individuals who have not gained weight.
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Overweight and obesity are associated with an increased risk for some types of cancer including endometrial, colon, gall bladder, prostate, kidney, and postmenopausal breast cancer.
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Women gaining more than 20 pounds from age 18 to midlife double their risk of postmenopausal breast cancer, compared to women whose weight remains stable.
Current Programs
Archives
Past Programs and Initiatives
Since its inception, the Healthy Weight Task Force has successfully reached out to the community to increase awareness and initiate healthy lifestyle changes. Past programs and initiatives include:
“Walking Your Way to Better Health”
This program included several appearances by Mark Fenton, well-known author and Olympic race walker. More than 300 people from the community, University of Massachusetts Lowell took part in.
International "Walk to School Day"
The purpose of the event was to demonstrate the ease in which anyone can incorporate more exercise into a daily schedule.
Safe Routes to School: "Walking Wednesdays"
In a partnership with the Lincoln School of Lowell, this program encouraged students to walk to school instead of riding.
Middlesex Community College Walking Program
Middlesex Community College instituted a walking program in March 2007 to encourage employees to improve or maintain their health by increasing their level of activity. Pedometers were given out at a kick off event, and participants were asked to monitor and record their level of activity. People were encouraged to participate in scheduled walks as well as individually. Participants were surveyed before and after to determine any change in level of activity, using the scale below:
Very Inactive2,500 Steps or Less Per Day
Inactive2,501 – 5000 Steps Per Day
Moderately Active5,001 – 7500 Steps Per Day
Active 7,501 – 10000 Steps Per Day
Very Active 10,000+ Steps Per Day
Overall results:
Pre-program, 61% rated themselves as very inactive/inactive; currently only 17% rate themselves as very inactive/inactive.
Pre-program, only 9% rated themselves as active/very active; currently 56% rate themselves as active/very active.
For More Information
Deirdra Murphy, PT, DPT, MS, MHA
Associate Professor
University of Massachusetts, School of Health and Environment
3 Solomont Way
Lowell, MA 01854
Tel: 978-934-4533
Email: Deirdra_Murphy@uml.edu
Margaret Wandrey, RD, LDN
Clinical Nutrition Manager
Lowell General Hospital
295 Varnum Avenue
Lowell, MA 01854
Tel: 978-937-6279
Email: margaret.wandrey@lowellgeneral.org