Health Survey Indicates Local Children Overweight

For More Information, contact:
John Althardt at (317) 221-2316

A three-year summer health screening of 2,500 Marion County school-aged students indicates more than 40 percent of the children ages 6 to 11 were overweight.

The findings are part of Project S.H.A.P.E. (Summer Health Assessment Program and Education), a Health and Hospital Corporation of Marion County initiative.

Between 2001 and 2003, Project S.H.A.P.E. has provided free health assessments and educational services to Marion County children attending summer camp programs.

Additional findings from the first three years of the program include:

• Children without insurance have a greater chance in reporting symptoms of asthma than those with insurance.
  

• In all three years, 40 percent of Hispanic children had an abnormal dental screening, double the percentage of African American and White children.
  

• In 2003, Hispanic children failed the vision screening more than two times the rate of African American and White children.
  
  

Participating children are provided with oral health screenings, vision checks, hearing tests, asthma screenings, physical exams, mental wellness testing and blood lead level checks. The program also offers immunization screening and general health education.

Once a child has completed Project S.H.A.P.E., a comprehensive report is generated and results with appropriate recommendations shared with parents. Project S.H.A.P.E. staff work with the families to ensure the child has access to the necessary medical care and follow-up with the family to make certain the child has received the appropriate treatment.

More than 45 area agencies and programs support Project S.H.A.P.E.

For more information, contact Wanda Spann Roddy at 221-3190.