State Launches New Teen-Focused Obesity Prevention Campaign

During a special premiere at the State Capitol, Gov. Neil Abercrombie and the Hawaii State Department of Health (DOH) today launched a new teen-focused multi-media campaign to combat obesity. The campaign is part of a comprehensive set of interventions being implemented by the DOH to address obesity prevention.

Students, legislators, media and obesity prevention advocates were provided a preview of many of the television, radio, print and movie theater ads that will run statewide. The campaign will begin on Feb. 15 and run through May to reach youth ages 12-18. The campaign will also utilize social media outlets to reach the target audience.

“It is essential that these messages resonate, starting with Hawaii’s teens, so we enlisted their help in creatively developing how they will be presented,”said Gov. Abercrombie. “This campaign represents an ideal nexus of state government working with local students to ensure that public information messages intended for teens are effective and impact.”

The campaign’s TV, radio and print ads were produced with the help of Hawaii middle and high school students. After initial focus group testing with teens to determine the concept, 10th graders from Island Pacific Academy acted as youth advisers for the campaign, advising DOH staff on the look and feel of the logos and print ads.

In addition, the theater ads were entirely student-produced videos submitted by Aikahi Elementary, Aliamanu Middle, and Waianae High Schools, which were finalists in the 2012 Olelo Youth XChange video competition.

“The campaign counters the attractive promotion of unhealthy foods and drinks that are popular with our teens,”said Health Director Loretta Fuddy. “Our goal is to begin the conversation with our youth on how marketing influences their over-consumption. We have found that Hawaii teenagers have a great deal of purchasing power, so it’s important that they are made aware of how their decisions are swayed.”

 

Consumption of some unhealthy items, such as sugary drinks, is highest in the teen population, with nearly all teens (93 percent) reporting consumption within the past week. One-half (48 percent) reported consuming of at least one sugar-sweetened beverage per day.

A 2012 survey of over 600 Hawaii teenagers also found that 63 percent of teens have more than $11 each week to spend any way they want to; over one-half of these had more than $20 of disposable income each week.

While 27 percent of high school students are currently overweight and obese, the figure is much higher among adults at 57 percent –more than one of every two adults. “With overweight and obesity rates more than double between high school and adulthood, it is important to address the issue with teens while they’re young and before they grow into adults,”added Director Fuddy.

Marketing messages around healthy eating and active living is a nationally recognized strategy to address obesity, and it is a fundamental part of the Hawaii State Physical Activity and Nutrition Plan. The state’s media campaign is integral to a comprehensive effort to reduce obesity and the chronic disease in Hawaii. The theater, television, radio, and print ads are funded with Tobacco Settlement funds.

 

Advance Screening in Hilo of HBO Documentary The Weight of the Nation

WHAT:  ADVANCE SCREENING OF HBO DOCUMENTARY THE WEIGHT OF THE NATION –  Launching one of the most far-reaching public health campaigns on this epidemic to date. Event is made possible with the support and participation of:

• HBO Documentary Films
• Hawaii State Department of Health
• The Institute of Medicine
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• National Institutes of Health
• Michael & Susan Dell Foundation

WHEN: Friday, May 11, 2012,

• 5:30 p.m. The Weight of the Nation Screening (Part 1: “Consequences”)
• 6:30 p.m. Panel Discussion

WHERE:  The Palace Theater, 38 Haili Street, Hilo, HI 96720

The number of overweight children in the United States has doubled in the past 30 years, with similar patterns occurring in Hawaii. And the problem has only gotten worse. To address this rising concern, Kaiser Permanente is hosting an advance screening of The Weight of the Nation, helping launch one of the most far-reaching public health campaigns on this epidemic to date.

The Weight of the Nation is HBO’s four-part series featuring case studies and interviews with leading experts and with individuals and families struggling with obesity. Part 1 of the series, “Consequences,” which examines the scope of the obesity epidemic and explores the serious health consequences of being overweight or obese, will be screened. Following the screening, there will be a forum for the public to “Weigh-in” on the weight of Hawaii during a town hall-style discussion with local experts.

The goal of this event is to create continuing dialogue about improving the health of our community. Kaiser Permanente’s Community Health Initiatives for Healthy Eating Active Living support more than 40 obesity prevention collaboratives, which aim to increase access to healthy food and opportunities for physical activity in schools, neighborhoods and workplaces.

Kaiser Permanente has partnered with HBO, the Institute of Medicine, the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation, the National Institutes of Health, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on The Weight of the Nation campaign.

The documentary series debuts on May 14, exclusively on HBO, and is comprised of four documentary films, a three-part HBO Family series, 14 bonus shorts, a social media campaign, a book published by St. Martin’s Press and a nationwide community-based outreach campaign. Further information on the series can be found at theweightofthenation.hbo.com.

For more information on Kaiser Permanente’s work in the community, visit www.kp.org/communitybenefit.

Related articles

• HBO documentary series addresses country’s obesity problem (austin360.com)
• Obese Teen Girls Helped To Manage Weight, Improve Body Image And Behavior By Primary Care Program (medicalnewstoday.com)
• Kaiser Permanente study finds obesity-asthma link in children varies by race/ethnicity (eurekalert.org)
• To Win, We Have To Lose! (dietitiandrive.com)
• HBO Made A Documentary About Obesity, And It Doesn’t Look Like A Fat-Shaming Bonanza! (blisstree.com)

Fast Foods on the Hot Seat – HB 1526 Obesity; Menu Education and Labeling Act: Sounds Right… But WRONG

HB1526 HD1
RELATING TO HEALTH.
Obesity; Menu Education and Labeling Act
Requires a franchise retail food establishment to include nutritional information about each standard menu item. (HB1526 HD1)

Hawaii and Maine are jumping on the menu-labeling bandwagon and considering measures to require restaurants to post total calorie content on all menus, according to Fast Casual.

Maine’s measure would require restaurants with 15 or more establishments to adhere to menu labeling; Hawaii’s would require restaurants with 10 or more establishments.

The only restaraunts that I can think of with 10 or more establishments are Fast Food Restaurants.

People don’t go to Fast Food restaurants because they want a nutritious healthy meal.  Most people go to them because the are lazy and don’t feel like cooking something or making some thing themselves.

McDonalds has their nutritional contents listed at most of their restaurants and I believe Burger King does also.

Requiring establishments to post these things to me sounds pretty ridiculous.  Who reads the ones that are already posted?

This is only going to jack up the prices on fast food in the long run.

If your child or yourself is obese… please don’t blame it on the Fast Food restaurants.  THEY DON’T FORCE you to eat there.

Take responsibility for your own actions and quit blaming restaurants for what people eat.

Now give me that damn Fried Quarter Pounder and French Fries soaked in grease made from meat byproducts!