Health organization expands reach in Smyth schools

By STEPHANIE PORTER-NICHOLS/Staff

The frustration is evident when Amy Horsh Smith’s talks about the increasing number of children threatened by preventable health crises in Smyth County. However, equally prevalent is her determination to fight the prevailing threats of obesity and tobacco exposure.
The coordinator for Project Right Start, a three-year-old program of the Smyth County Community Foundation that works with county schools, is expanding the initiative’s reach and involving more community partners in the effort.
For the first time this academic year, Project Right Start will take its messages about healthy eating, exercise and tobacco avoidance beyond grades K-5 and into the middle and high schools.
The need for the program is evident.
Statistics released this summer by Trust For America’s Health, a Washington-based, non-profit research and advocacy organization, show that Virginia’s obesity rate continues to grow. Virginia’s adult obesity rate increased from 23.3 percent to 24.5 percent in the last year. Across the commonwealth, 13.8 percent of Virginia youth ages 10 to 17 are overweight.
Commenting on those numbers, Dr. Neil E. Hutcher, a weight-loss surgeon at Commonwealth Surgeons in the Richmond area, said obesity is “without a doubt the number one health-care problem in the U.S.” Hutcher added, “We are not addressing it very well.”
Unfortunately, like a number of health-related trends, Smyth County’s statistics are even worse.
According to Project Right Start surveys, 41 percent of the community’s children are obese. That development is likely connected to cultural and societal habits that also contribute to the county having higher rates of diabetes, cancer, hypertension and heart and lung disease than across Virginia.
Smith points to alarming tobacco-use information that indicates that more than twice as many Smyth County adults use tobacco as compared to state averages, 44 to 20 percent. Concerned primarily with children’s health, Smith noted that more than 50 percent of the county’s students live in homes where smoking occurs.
In many aspects, Smith said, obesity and tobacco use have the same long-term health consequences, including heart disease and various forms of cancer.
Last month education and health officials met in Richmond to look at school-based obesity prevention strategies. A legislative subcommittee is also studying school preventive measures. The subcommittee is studying some of the things that one report says Virginia doesn’t do, such as screen students for being overweight and report that to parents.
However, Project Right Start may give Smyth County an edge. Working with Virginia Tech’s Department of Human Nutrition, Foods and Exercise, the campaign conducted a survey of all elementary student parents to assess their expectations for schools and health. The survey found that parents would like a health report card for each child.
Armed with this information, Project Right Start will be working with each school individually to assess its needs and what programs and activities will work best. The options range from one-hour programs on topics such as fad diets to cessation programs for students in trouble for smoking. Smith said the program can also work with overweight kids.
She anticipates that Project Right Start will also designate a month to make a concentrated effort to address tobacco and its dangers.
Smyth school superintendent Dr. Mike Robinson supports Project Right Start and their partnership. He described childhood obesity and tobacco use as huge issues affecting students. He also noted the direct correlation between student health and attendance and overall academic performance.
As the parameters of Project Right Start change, Smith hopes to also develop extracurricular activities such as a yoga program, a running club and a summer camp for overweight girls modeled on a successful one in Bluff City, Tenn.  She does note, however, that the program needs financial support and she’ll be reaching out to the community and to foundations and other organizations through grant writing.
Project Right Start is also reaching out to the local and regional community for help in accomplishing its mission.
Smith is coordinating a task force of physicians, ministers and other community partners that will begin meeting Oct. 11.
Smith acknowledges the task force’s work won’t be easy as she described the cultural connection to these health issues. “To try to change any culture is one of the most challenging things you can do,” she said.
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