Treating Obesity at the Community Level

This post was written by Dung Doan, a Health Promoter at Primary Health Care Services, Inc.

Obesity is an emerging epidemic in the United States. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than one-third of U.S. adults are obese. Pennsylvania, in particular, has an obesity rate of 30%, a 10% increase from the year 2000! Being obese can increase one’s risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, stroke, and hypertension. It can also decrease the individual’s quality of life due to many of its downstream complications from breathing difficulty, sleep apnea, and joint pain. Thus, we need to raise awareness of these issues when discussing BMI (Body Mass Index) with patients to treat obesity.

Obesity is an intricate and time consuming disease to treat in and of itself. It is a long ongoing process that does not necessarily provide immediate gratification. In addition, it may not be the primary issue presented during a visit and is usually overshadowed by other concerns. There are also many uncontrollable factors such as environmental, genetic, and societal norms that add on to the complexity of the disease and makes it harder to treat.

Nevertheless, community organizations are working hard to combat this epidemic. As a Health Promoter for Primary Care Health Services, I am able to counsel many patients, both adults and pediatrics, who are diagnosed with obesity on nutrition and weight management. We work together to identify some lifestyle changes and set up achievable goals. One of the great things about my position is the ability to follow-up with each patient on a weekly, bi-weekly, and monthly basis. This provides the constant reminder and motivation to help each patient reach their goals.

In addition, I am the program coordinator for the Fitbit program at the East End Community Health Center, one of Primary Care Health Services satellite site. Thanks to the generous donation from the Pittsburgh Indian Community and Friends, the East End Community Center is able to purchase Fitbits for 45 of their high risk patients. The Fitbit serves as a reminder and tracker to help these patients increase their physical activity. Additionally, the health center hosts a workshop each month for all of the Fitbit participants with educators from the community, such as registered dietitians, gardening experts, and fitness instructors. Each session teaches the members something new and strengthens the sense of community among them. Patients are able to openly discuss their struggles and successes with those who are going through similar situations. Overall, Primary Care Health Services is one of the many organizations in the community who is working to combat obesity. We are working to create a healthier community, starting with our patients.