Medical Students as Medical Students as Ambassadors for Obesity Ambassadors for Obesity

Education: Vehicle Assisted Education: Vehicle Assisted Nutrition Nutrition

José E. Rodríguez MD José E. Rodríguez MD

Angélica M. Soberón, MS2Angélica M. Soberón, MS2

Lecture ObjectivesLecture Objectives

Identify the usefulness of mobile Identify the usefulness of mobile health units in the community for health units in the community for obesity education. obesity education.

Define medical student educational Define medical student educational learning objectives for community learning objectives for community oriented primary care involving oriented primary care involving mobile health units.mobile health units.

Identify cultural barriers to obesity Identify cultural barriers to obesity treatment obtained by this method.treatment obtained by this method.

Project PurposeProject Purpose

Learn more about our community’s Learn more about our community’s attitudes toward obesity.attitudes toward obesity.

Educate and offer services to our Educate and offer services to our community about obesity.community about obesity.

Equip students with skills necessary to Equip students with skills necessary to counsel patients on lifestyle counsel patients on lifestyle modification.modification.

05

101520253035404550

White

Black

Hispanic

Obesity at Our Regional Obesity at Our Regional CampusesCampuses

Obesity by County and Race/Ethnicity Obesity by County and Race/Ethnicity (2002)(2002)

Percentage

Florida Health Statistics. www.myflorida.com

VAN Project GoalsVAN Project Goals

Emphasize lifestyle modification.Emphasize lifestyle modification. Approach communities with a higher Approach communities with a higher

prevalence of obesity. prevalence of obesity. Expose students to lifestyle Expose students to lifestyle

modification counseling and obesity modification counseling and obesity treatments.treatments.

Encourage students to learn more Encourage students to learn more about the community and how to about the community and how to serve them.serve them.

MethodsMethods

Mobile health unit, Mobile health unit, Vehicle Assisted Nutrition,Vehicle Assisted Nutrition, staffed by a physician and medical students went staffed by a physician and medical students went to heavily transited areas in our community.to heavily transited areas in our community.

Our team administered a short survey and Our team administered a short survey and calculated participant’s BMI.calculated participant’s BMI.

Distributed patient education materials.Distributed patient education materials. Students counseled participants on lifestyle Students counseled participants on lifestyle

modification.modification. Encouraged participation in healthy living class.Encouraged participation in healthy living class. Students taught obesity class.Students taught obesity class.

MethodsMethods

Survey QuestionsSurvey Questions The survey consisted of five questions including: The survey consisted of five questions including:

– Is your weight a problem for you? Is your weight a problem for you? – Do you exercise regularly?Do you exercise regularly?– Would you like our help?Would you like our help?

Are you… Are you… Underweight Underweight Normal Weight Normal Weight Overweight Overweight ObeseObese

Are you willing to do anything about it?Are you willing to do anything about it? Modify your eating habits? Modify your eating habits? Modify amount of exercise?Modify amount of exercise? Take medication?Take medication?

BMI CategoriesBMI Categories

Underweight- BMI under 18.5Underweight- BMI under 18.5 Normal Weight- BMI= 18.5- 24.9Normal Weight- BMI= 18.5- 24.9 Overweight- BMI of 25- 29.9Overweight- BMI of 25- 29.9 Obese 1- BMI= 30- 34.9Obese 1- BMI= 30- 34.9 Obese 2- BMI= 35-39.9Obese 2- BMI= 35-39.9 Obese 3- BMI= 40 and aboveObese 3- BMI= 40 and above

MCTIGUE K, LARSON JC, VALOSKI A, et al Mortality and cardiac and vascular outcomes in extremely obese women JAMA 296 (1): 79-86 JUL 5 2006

Our ParticipantsOur Participants

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

UnderweightNormal WeightOverweightObese 1Obese 2Obese 3

Percentage

Is your weight a problem?

0102030405060708090

100

Yes

Percentage

Is your weight a problem?Is your weight a problem?

Average BMI was 28.4 Average BMI was 28.4 ““Yes” Responses:Yes” Responses:

– 32% overweight32% overweight– 58.2% obese class 1 58.2% obese class 1

““No” responsesNo” responses– 25% obese 2 25% obese 2 – 20% of the obese 320% of the obese 3

Are you…..Are you…..

Overweight?Overweight?– 59% Obese 3 59% Obese 3

Normal weight?Normal weight?– 63% overweight 63% overweight – 18% of obese 1, 2, or 3  18% of obese 1, 2, or 3  

Are you willing to do anything about it?

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

Yes

Percentage

ResultsResultsQ3A:Modify eating habits

0102030405060708090

100

Normal Overweight Obese 1 Obese 2

Yes

Modify Eating Habits?Percentage

Q3B:Modify amount of exercise

0102030405060708090

100

Normal Overweight Obese 1 Obese 2

Yes

Modify Amount of Exercise?

Percentage

Q3C:Take medication

0102030405060708090

100

Normal Overweight Obese 1 Obese 2

Yes

Take Medication?Percentage

Lifestyle habitsLifestyle habits

Lifestyle modification:Lifestyle modification:– 69% willing to change their diet69% willing to change their diet– 69% to change amount of exercise69% to change amount of exercise– 38% would take medication. 38% would take medication.

  Regular exerciseRegular exercise– Exercise more than 3 times per weekExercise more than 3 times per week– 60% of overweight 60% of overweight – 49% of obese 1 49% of obese 1 – 47% of normal weight47% of normal weight

Do you exercise regularly?

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

Yes

Percentage

Would you like our help?

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

Yes

Percentage

Gadsden County Health Fair

ConclusionsConclusions One of the biggest barriers to weight loss in One of the biggest barriers to weight loss in

our community is the lack of awareness of our community is the lack of awareness of healthy weight range and regular exercise. healthy weight range and regular exercise.

Many participants identified themselves in Many participants identified themselves in a category that was lower than the one a category that was lower than the one determined by their BMI. determined by their BMI.

Most overweight and obese said that they Most overweight and obese said that they were willing to do something about their were willing to do something about their weight. weight.

Many overweight patients are pre-contemplative and not ready for change.

ConclusionsConclusions

Students…Students…– Learned more about patient education and Learned more about patient education and

counseling.counseling.– Had opportunities to interact directly with Had opportunities to interact directly with

community.community.– Gained knowledge about their community and Gained knowledge about their community and

obesity issues.obesity issues.   VAN demonstrated that the community VAN demonstrated that the community

members’ are excited to learn about members’ are excited to learn about nutrition and exercise from providers.nutrition and exercise from providers.

Questions?Questions?

José E Rodríguez MD José E Rodríguez MD

1115 West Call 1115 West Call StreetStreet

Suite 3210MSuite 3210M

Tallahassee, FL Tallahassee, FL 3230632306

850-645-6850850-645-6850

jose.rodriguez@med.jose.rodriguez@med.fsu.edufsu.edu

Angélica M Soberón Angélica M Soberón MS2MS2

1115 West Call Street1115 West Call Street

Tallahassee, FL 32306Tallahassee, FL 32306

ams05f@med.fsu.eduams05f@med.fsu.edu