Mississippi no longer holds the title of being the most obese state, as it dropped from No. 1 to No. 3 in a recent September Poll.
The Trust for America’s Health, a health policy organization based in Washington, D.C., ranked Mississippi third out of 50 states, including the District of Columbia for obesity percentage in its annual “State of Obesity” report. Weighing in just below No. 1 Arkansas and No. 2 West Virginia, Mississippi’s current obesity rate for adults is 35.5 percent. This is a 1.1 percent increase from 2010. Although Mississippi’s national standing in obesity has dropped, this change does not mean obesity is less of an issue for the state.
Lafayette County does not offer nutrition and weight management programs, but there are other programs and businesses in the area aiming to help in that area.
The Baptist Memorial Hospital-North Mississippi in Oxford contains 200 hospital beds, but only employs two on-staff dietitians. With more overweight patients coming into the hospital than those at ideal body weights, the understaffed nutrition department is unable to provide proper diet and health education.
“We do not have outpatient nutrition education through the hospital,” Hope Guthrie, the hospital’s clinical nutrition manager, said.
With no outpatient nutrition education support, the hospital can only give first-time patients basic nutrition information and has no way of monitoring patients once they leave the hospital. Guthrie said she commonly has to refer patients to outside health and nutrition programs, such as the University of Mississippi’s Nutrition Clinic.
The University’s clinic is grant-funded, however, and once the grant runs out, there is no guarantee it will continue. The hospital hopes to start an outpatient education program once the construction of Oxford’s new Baptist Memorial hospital is completed.
Adolescent obesity is a particularly alarming issue in Mississippi. The Mississippi State Department of Health reports a 40 percent obesity rate among children in its “2015 Mississippi Obesity Action Plan.” The Oxford School District is tackling the concern by promoting better nutrition in school cafeterias.
Tim Howington, director of child nutrition for the Oxford School District, works with professionally trained cafeteria managers and a trained chef to provide more nutritious menus and meals at all of the district’s school cafeterias. Oxford schools are required to offer breakfast and lunch to all students, following food and heath codes provided by the federal government.
“These menus that we write have to comply with the USDA Dietary Guidelines for Americans,” Howington said. “It’s guidelines set by USDA and adopted by Mississippi for school children pre-K through 12. And they are very strict. They constrain us in several different categories,” Howington said.
Meal requirements include minimums of two ounces of protein, two ounces of grain, 1 1/2 ounces of both vegetables and fruit and a carton of milk. Calories, sodium, trans fats and saturated fats are also regulated for all meals provided. About half of the student body buys meals from the cafeteria; each meal costs $2.75.
The aim of providing healthier meals in Oxford county schools, however, is not to decrease adolescent obesity rates, but rather to increase net profits from cafeteria food sales.
“We have to have more people eat in the cafeterias or we don’t survive, because that pays our bills and we pay our own way,” Howington said.
While Howington and his staff are not solely focused on reducing obesity in Oxford schools, the work they do to provide more nutritious meals does contribute to a solution to the problem.
“I think the net effect is in great support of reducing obesity,” Howington said.
Physical activity is a major contributor in maintaining a healthy weight and lifestyle. While Lafayette County does not provide fitness programs for obese or people in need of them, there are a multitude of gyms and fitness programs in the area.
Oxford YMCA provides their members with a fully equipped gym, instructor-led fitness classes and a professional dietitian and nutritionist. Recently, members had the opportunity to participate in the YMCA’s study of blood pressure management and general health.
“We did do some instruction with people who have heart issues, blood pressure issues on how to better manage their diet, to control their blood pressure using diet and exercise and weight loss and things of that nature,” said Eddie Mounce, an exercise specialist and personal trainer at the Oxford YMCA.
In the future, Oxford YMCA hopes to provide another program for their members, focusing on health with diabetes.
