Shebra Hall, Program Administrator for the Physical Activity, Nutrition and Obesity Prevention Program (PANO) with the Office of Public Health, discussed nutrition and obesity in Delaware. She notes that Delawareans are following the national trend of weight gain, it’s an epidemic with 4 in 10 carrying a BMI within the obese range. (Learn your BMI with this CDC calculator)
Recognizing that a poor diet and other social determinants lead to obesity and poor health, PANO works to address these health inequities with programs that focus on food accessibility, consumer awareness and opportunities for physical activity.
Ms Hall discussed the need for more physical activity, 60 minutes a day for kids and a minimum of 150 minutes a week for adults. She described their pilot program ‘Triple Play’ for youth which PANO conducted with 400 kids through partnership with the Boys and Girls Clubs of Delaware. The program promoted good nutrition, healthy choices as well as physical activity. Their ‘Move Your Way’ campaign encourages state workers to find opportunities for increased activity throughout the day, lifting more or taking more steps or stairs.
DHSS and the Office of Public Health offer tips and self-management classes at HealthyDelaware.org
Finallly, PANO is presenting its first Annual Conference, Advancing Healthy Lifestyles (AHL) in Delaware: Improving Health through Equity, on May 18, 2022, 8:00 am to 4:00 pm, at the Delaware State University Martin Luther King Jr. Conference Center. The event will feature national, regional, and local best practices, challenges, opportunities, and success stories with a focus on improving health equity and to strengthen efforts to reduce obesity and other chronic diseases amongst Delawareans. This invitational event includes government legislative and administrative policy makers in public health, nonprofit advocates of health and wellness, educators, medical care givers and policy experts, and academic and medical researchers who are interested or engaged in health disparities, nutrition, chronic illness and obesity prevention. All are welcome to attend, learn more and registerHERE