MSU profs' program tackles childhood obesity

After years of watching her daughter excel in sports, Lorraine Robbins noticed most other adolescent girls weren’t as active.

She decided she wanted to change their sedentary lifestyles.

The MSU professor of nursing, along with MSU kinesiology professor Karin Pfeiffer, are about to begin a program in two Lansing middle schools to promote healthy, active lifestyles in young women.

“The whole purpose will get them to lead healthier lives and continue the healthy lifestyles once they become women,” Robbins said. “We just want to allow them to see that physical activity is the norm.”

The project, which is funded by the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute, will focus on 70 sixth-and seventh-grade students who do not meet physical activity recommendations after initial observation.

Through the program, the students will participate in discussions of healthy lifestyles with professionals, motivational counseling with trained nurses and an after-school physical activity club.

“Research I have conducted clearly indicates girls are interested in participating in an after-school program that involves physical activity,” Robbins said.

“Girls also report needing someone to talk to about their feelings related to physical activity — a person who can regularly motivate them.”

Pfeiffer said the lack of active lifestyles is worse in adolescent girls than boys, because of a lack of interesting offerings and encouragement in participation.

“The major part of the program will be the after-school activities that the girls will be offered and encouraged to go,” she said.

“It’s just that there are some sedentary girls who want to do other things with their time, and we can at least try and show some programs that the girls might like.”

Once the research on how to motivate girls to be active is complete, spreading knowledge won’t be difficult, but coming up with funding for the programs could pose a problem, Pfeiffer said.

“Talking to nurses is something a lot of girls can and should do,” she said. “But the after-school programs will be tougher. But a lot of places already have some programs and they can add things to those.”

Michigan already is underway with a program to get kids active in several Michigan school systems, Michigan Surgeon General Kimberlydawn Wisdom said.

Generation With Promise is a program implemented in Michigan cities such as Benton Harbor, Detroit, Pontiac, Hamtramck and Highland Park that encourages students to come up with ideas for extra physical activity during the day, a healthier school lunch menu and making schools smoke free.

“A variety of things are being done by the kids on their own,” Wisdom said. “If we involve them at an early age to ensure them being active for a lifetime, they’ll live much healthier, happier lives.”