Nutrition and Physical Activity Program

Overview

It is a Balance.

Achieving a healthy weight and being fit includes choosing healthy foods and being physically active on a regular basis. The equation is simple…calories in (food intake) = calories out (energy expended) to maintain weight. To lose weight, calories expended must be greater than calories eaten. It is really a balance! That is why it is important not to tip the scale where you eat more calories than you burn. When we tip the scale, we may be at-risk for gaining weight. This means that we may eat too many calories or more than our body needs, or it may mean that we are not burning calories because we are not being physically active.

Eating healthy is a daily challenge. It is important to keep in mind that choosing healthier foods directly benefits our health. Here are some quick tips to help you eat right:

• Eat breakfast daily as skipping meals can cause overeating at later meals
• Choosing 5 or more fruits and vegetables daily
• Choosing foods lower in fat and calories
• Eat in moderation; Remember all foods are good foods if eaten in moderation
• Choose whole grains
• Drink water

Eating healthy is not a form of dieting; it is a change in your lifestyle. Use the U. S. Dietary Guidelines and the Food Guide Pyramid can help guide your healthy food choices.

It doesn’t take a lot of physical activity to make a difference and any activity is better than no activity. At a minimum, adults are advised to:

• Participate in moderate activity for at least 30 minutes on five or more days of the week, or;
• Participate in vigorous physical activity at least 20 minutes on three or more days per week, or;
• Participate in a combination of both types of activity.

Activity includes everyday activities such as yard work or housework. The minimum requirements for activity will help maintain a healthy lifestyle. Additional activity will help improve fitness levels and control body weight.

• 58% of Wisconsin adults are overweight or obese and the number is rising. (CDC BRFSS, 2003)
• 24% of Wisconsin high school students are overweight or at risk of becoming overweight and the number is rising. (CDCC YRBSS, 2003)
• The obesity rate among Wisconsin adults has doubled from 1990 to 2002. (CDC BRFSS, 1990, 2002)
• Adult activity levels have remained virtually unchanged over time, while children’s levels have declined. Only about ½ of WI adults meet minimum activity levels (CDC BRFSS, CDC YBRS).

Poor diet and physical inactivity are the second leading underlying cause of death behind only tobacco use. Furthermore, obesity and inactivity are projected to surpass tobacco as the leading cause of death in the next couple of years. Obesity and an inactive lifestyle are connected to an increased risk for the following diseases:

• Coronary heart disease (CHD) = Congestive heart failure
• Stroke = Gallstones
• Diabetes mellitus = Osteoarthritis
• Some types of cancer (such as endometrial, breast, prostate, and colon)

The Nutrition and Physical Activity Program will incorporate the parameters that have been established for the National Program. These include:

• Employ an integrated approach to obesity prevention and control using both nutrition and physical activity strategies.
• Adopt a social ecological model that addresses the obesity epidemic beyond individual responsibility and that recognizes the importance of environmental and policy issues that affect and sustain behavior.
• Apply the theories and techniques of social marketing to identify target populations and select interventions that will encourage high participation rates initially and address how to maintain participation long-term.
• Use evidence-based and promising strategies to achieve better health.
• Conduct strong evaluation to assess the effectiveness of interventions.
• Build on federal funding to mobilize additional resources through strong partnerships with a wide range of organizations and agencies.

The Wisconsin Nutrition and Physical Activity Workgroup (WINPAW) was formed in 1999 to discuss strategies that could be implemented to address the alarming increase in childhood overweight. The WINPAW membership has reached over 100 persons representing a diverse group of organizations and communities. In December 2003, the WINPAW membership selected an organization structure that includes six subcommittees: environmental, school-based, healthcare, families and communities, business and industry and surveillance. WINPAW and its subcommittees are the main planning vehicle for the development of the Nutrition and Physical Activity state plan. As WINPAW has evolved, its mission is changing as well. The draft mission is to provide state leadership for nutrition and physical activity across the lifecycle. Currently, the WINPAW mission and vision are being formalized as well as bylaws.

In July 2003, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention awarded $443,005 to the Wisconsin Department of Health and Family Services, Division of Public Health, to plan a comprehensive nutrition and physical activity program for Wisconsin. This capacity building grant focuses on the following objectives:

• Develop a Statewide Nutrition and Physical Activity Program infrastructure at the State level.
• Collaborate and coordinate with State and local government and private partners, including members of the population, throughout the planning process for the development of the Wisconsin Nutrition and Physical Activity Plan.
• Develop a planning process that leads to a State Nutrition and Physical Activity Plan to prevent and control obesity and other chronic diseases.
• Identify, assess and utilize Wisconsin data sources and research to define and monitor the burden of obesity and to assure the development of an evidence-based State Nutrition and Physical Activity Plan.
• Implement and evaluate an intervention to prevent obesity and other chronic diseases.
• Evaluate progress and impact of the State plan and intervention projects

Last Updated: December 16, 2004