Chattanooga and Hamilton County Tackle Obesity
Published Feb 16, 2009
John Bilderback manages Step ONE and oversees production of the program’s informational materials.
One day at a time, one step at a time, through communication and collaboration, Chattanooga and Hamilton County are waging war on obesity to improve the health of residents – now and in the future.
The innovative Step ONE (Optimize with Nutrition and Exercise) program provides ways to attack the problem on a number of fronts. It was launched in 2004 through the forward thinking and determination of Hamilton County Mayor Claude Ramsey, other government leaders and health agencies.
Looking at statistics five years ago, it “was very apparent” to Ramsey and others that “the obesity problem was really spinning out of control,” says John Bilderback, Step ONE program manager since early 2008.
“Ramsey saw it was an issue. His office, the Chattanooga-Hamilton County Regional Health Council and the Chattanooga-Hamilton County Health Department got together and decided they needed to do something. So they went to the community and ... got experts qualified in all areas of the field and came up with a plan of action.”
Working with Families, Schools, Restaurants
Step ONE, funded by Hamilton County, has as its principal goal creating a climate where residents practice good nutrition and exercise regularly, thereby reducing obesity. A network of educators, business leaders, government officials, faith-based institutions and community leaders joined forces to lead the charge, suggesting workplace wellness programs, healthy eating options in restaurants, school programs to encourage good nutrition and exercise, and providing useful information for residents.
Among initiatives currently under way is the Eat Smart program, funded by a three-year, $50,000-per-year grant from the Junior League of Chattanooga. Eat Smart addresses obesity in children ages 6 to 11 and ways to combat it at home, in school and in restaurants.
In the schools, students learn about fruits and vegetables through a monthly bulletin board featuring one a month, Bilderback says. Also, families are being taught how to prepare vegetables in more appetizing ways, and Step ONE is partnering with restaurants in the area to provide nutritional information on their menus.
In the past year, Step ONE has created the Partnership for Healthy Living, which includes 40 area organizations and is designed to keep health and wellness issues in the public eye, he says. “What it really boils down to is getting the community organized to work together and have a unified message. [Step ONE] has been very successful to this point from the standpoint that it’s really brought obesity and [the importance] of physical activity and nutrition to the forefront of discussion here in Hamilton County.”
Mayor Ramsey agrees. “The Step ONE program continues to be a source of pride here in Hamilton County,” he says, “as we move forward in our quest to make our county a healthier place to live.”
Story by Anne Gillem
Photo by Ian Curcio
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