LSU Pennington’s Grow Healthy program urges Terrebonne Parish to partner on childhood obesity prevention
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Summary
Lauren Goddard of Grow Healthy (Pennington Biomedical Research Center/LSU) briefed the Terrebonne Parish Council on childhood obesity, citing that 23.1% of Louisiana children ages 6–17 are affected and describing outreach tools including a Healthy Moves bus, provider toolkits and a longitudinal study that pays participants $50 per enrolled family member.
Lauren Goddard, representing the Grow Healthy initiative of LSU’s Pennington Biomedical Research Center, asked the Terrebonne Parish Council on behalf of the statewide program for help connecting with local partners to prevent and treat childhood obesity.
Goddard told the council that “Louisiana actually, ranks fourth in the nation for childhood obesity, and 23.1 percent of Louisiana children ages 6 to 17 suffer from chronic illness related to obesity.” She said about 70 percent of children with obesity will remain obese as adults and noted long-term health risks including higher risk for chronic disease and several cancers. Goddard also said childhood obesity costs Louisiana about $127,000,000 in health-care costs annually.
The presenter described Grow Healthy’s work in schools, clinics and communities: partnerships with more than 60 early-childhood education centers and schools (reaching roughly 18,000 students), a health-care provider hub with continuing-education webinars and a clinic “treatment toolkit,” and mobile outreach via a “Healthy Moves” bus. She said the program is supported through the Pennington center and state funding, and that Pennington receives NIH and other grants for research work.
Goddard also described Pennington Generation, a longitudinal study intended to follow families across generations; she said the study has enrolled about 135 families so far and offers $50 per family member who participates. On questions about clinical partnerships and funding, she said Grow Healthy works with pediatricians and trains clinic health coaches through a program (PATH — Positive Action Toward Health) planned for release this summer.
Council members recommended local partnership opportunities (for example, farmers markets) and requested follow-up contact information. Goddard provided the program website (growhealthy.org) and said she would follow up with council staff on possible events.
The presentation concluded with the council thanking Grow Healthy and noting interest in community collaboration.