Funded Projects

Midtown Move

Project Year

2023

City & State

Goodrich, Michigan

Program Name

CATCH Resident

Topic

Overweight & Obesity (LHI)

Program Description

Metabolic syndrome is defined as a combination of high risk diagnoses which predisposes children to lifelong health problems; these criteria include increased abdominal circumference, high triglycerides, elevated blood pressure, high blood glucose and obesity. The prevalence of childhood obesity in Michigan is higher than that of the national average. Over 32% of children are overweight or obese with rates only rising. Those at highest risk are non-Hispanic blacks which make up 77% percent of the Detroit population. The goal of our project is to provide fundamental education in health, fitness and nutrition to children and adolescents in order to sustain long-term healthy lifestyles. Our focus is on sustainable and realistic health interventions and lifestyle modifications that can be implemented into each child’s life without any initial or lasting financial burden. Children with a BMI above the 90th percentile or an HbA1c >5.6% will be invited to enroll in the program. Using educational resources and a systematic approach, 200 children will be enrolled in Midtown Move’s program. The program will last for approximately 12 months. Each month a new set of children will be enrolled in the program. Each child enrolled in the program will be provided with health-focused tools including a pedometer, a health and nutrition manual, water bottle, a gym bag, health cooking utensils, and more. Week by week we will educate these kids in the community on topic specific ways to learn skills and knowledge surrounding the benefits and importance of a healthy lifestyle. Children who have completed the 4-week program will continue to receive long-term follow up in the metabolic clinic in the General Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine clinic at Children’s Hospital of Michigan. At their follow up visits they will be weighed, may receive any appropriate blood work, and will continue to receive nutrition and exercise counseling as well as mentorship. The anticipated outcomes of the program is to create long lasting knowledge and excitement for a healthy lifestyle in these children. Our hope is that their health metrics, such as BMI and HbA1c, improve throughout the program and children previously identified as high risk are now in a normal health category for their age with knowledge to grow on and take with them to the rest of their communities.

Project Goal

Using the identified at risk children in the community, our goal is to increase knowledge of health, exercise and nutrition by 50% within the 4 month time span of the educational and interactive program Midtown Move.

Project Objective 1

Strengthen the relationship between the previously established health and educational organizations in inner city Detroit with children and families at high risk for obesity related health problems for sustained and long term assistance and improved outcomes throughout childhood and adolescents

Project Objective 2

To develop a sustainable educational program for both children and families that can be replicated for other cohorts of Midtown Move program’s and have lasting health knowledge for each child and family

Project Objective 3

Provide an educational resource that is comprehensive and inclusive of the resources available and understandable nutrition education in a cohesive manual for each child and family

AAP District

District V

Institutional Name

Lexus Velodrome

Contact 1

Alyssa Motzel