CRESTVIEW—Going on a bike ride to a friend’s house or playing at recess isn’t just fun for most children, it could be saving their lives.

Poor eating habits and inactive lifestyles are leading to obesity in children at an alarming rate. While Crestview and Okaloosa County are nearly on par with national trends, that doesn’t mean there’s no reason for concern.

Risks

“Children are having ‘adult’ problems like hypertension, diabetes or pre-diabetes, high cholesterol [and] sleep issues like sleep apnea and gallstones,” Dr. Keely Kubly of North Okaloosa Physician Group Pediatrics said. They face increased risks of heart disease, skeletal issues, low self-esteem and depression.

These issues are both life-threatening and costly. The Florida Department of Health expects medical costs related to childhood obesity and subsequent illnesses to amount to an estimated $34 billion over the next two decades.

And it’s affecting kids younger and younger.

Defining obesity

“A little under 20 percent of children are considered overweight or obese before they enter kindergarten,” Kubly said. Nearly 60 percent of children born today will be obese by the time they graduate high school, according to the FDOH.

Among current school-aged children in Okaloosa County, about one-third are considered obese, according to Community Health Improvement Section Chief at DOH-Okaloosa Amanda Colwell.

Obesity is determined by a trained medical professional but can be estimated by calculating one’s body mass index or BMI. Several online resources offer BMI calculators and only require the person enter their weight and height.

A healthy BMI is 18.5-24.9; obese would be considered a person with a BMI of 30 or higher. In children, a comparative BMI model factoring in age and sex is used to determine obesity, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

A child in the 95th percentile of BMI for kids of the same age and sex would be considered obese.

Causes and who’s most affected

“Families aren’t eating well and not being active,” Colwell said. Some bad habits parents might not even be aware of, such as 100 percent fruit beverages, she added. These drinks lack the fiber necessary to break down sugars and can be a factor in early-onset diabetes.

“Parents may need to travel farther distances for work, making sit down, family-centered meals difficult and making fast food a convenience,” Kubly added. “In some areas, access to recreation centers or youth sports may be limited, lack of paved roads for activities like bike riding or even distance to the nearest house may make it difficult for children to exercise.”

As age increases from 2 to 19 years old, the rate of obesity increases, according to the CDC. However, all age groups are still at a risk, Kubly said.

The most at-risk group are those of Hispanic descent, with those of Asian descent being the least at-risk, according to CDC data compiled from 2011-2014. Rates between males and females were nearly identical.

Prevention and implementation

“Substituting water for a few sugar-containing beverages throughout the day [and] increasing fruit and vegetable consumption” are great starts, Kubly said.

Children should also aim to have daily moderate-to-high physical activity and limit screen usage—whether that means television, cell phones, tablets or computers. All of these suggestions are also recommended by the CDC.

The DOH-Okaloosa started “Healthy Okaloosa 5210” in January 2014 to help combat childhood obesity. The initiative helps share the four healthy living habits suggested by the CDC:

• Eat five or more fruits per day.

• Limit recreational screen time to two or fewer hours per day.

• Be physically active at least one hour every day.

• Cut back on sugar-sweetened drinks and eliminate the use of or exposure to tobacco products.

To implement these practices DOH-Okaloosa works with schools, medical providers, childcare services and other community organizations. They host and organize special services such as cooking demonstrations, fun runs and games.

Some of the programs were developed by the department but others were crafted by schools—such as a 5210 tag game—and spread to other schools as a result, according to Colwell.

The department also pushes facilities to adopt health-friendly practices. One such policy example is not allowing staff at recreation centers to smoke and requiring them to change and wash their clothes if they do so outside of work. Another could be ensuring water is a beverage option instead of sugary sports drinks.

Becoming engaged and making a change

Making progressive changes to promote a healthy lifestyle can at times be easier said than done. Kubly recommends starting with attainable goals and adding more once they are accomplished.

“If you are constantly in the car and need to eat fast food, a goal of never eating fast food again is not realistic,” Kubly said. “However ordering a salad or substituting fries for a fruit or vegetable is.”

Healthy lifestyles for children can also be adopted by adults, Kubly added. And dietary and lifestyle choices made in childhood often follow people into their adulthood, she said.

The DOH-Okaloosa has also made addressing childhood obesity one of its top priorities.

“We wanted to start with the youngest population,” Colwell said when asked why childhood obesity was prioritized out of the dozens of health and environmental issues the department has found young people face.

Still, change can be difficult. The CDC recommends consulting with a doctor about the most appropriate way for each child to help combat obesity and the risks associated with it.

THE ISSUE: Childhood obesity affects about one-third of school-aged children in Okaloosa County.

LOCAL IMPACT: Obesity can lead to increased risks for diseases and other ailments both in the long and short term.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Children now having 'adult' problems

CRESTVIEW — Sign-on bonuses and on-site interviews are part of an upcoming job fair.

The Shoal Creek Rehabilitation Center fair is 9 a.m.to 2 p.m. April 28 at 500 Hospital Drive, Crestview.

Company employers will conduct interviews for Registered Nurses, Licensed Practical Nurses and Certified Nursing Assistants. They also offer a $2,000 sign-on bonus for LPNS and a $3,000 sign-on bonus for Registered Nurses.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Crestview facility plans nurse job fair

Editor’s Note: This continues our Celebrate Community series on nonprofit  organizations that improve North Okaloosa County residents’ quality of life.

CRESTVIEW —The Baker Lions Club and Baker Area Ministerial Association’s partnership to provide dental services to area residents in need got underway in 2013.

Mary Ann Henley, project director for the Free Mobile Dental Clinic scheduled May 8-12, said her husband, Royce, learned that the mobile clinic was available and took steps to see the free service benefit North Okaloosa residents.

After that, "We asked the Baker Area Ministerial Association if they would like to co-sponsor this project with us,” she said. “That way they could reach out to the various churches and make them feel a part of the community, as well as get (residents') physical needs met.”

This year's clinic will provide fillings and extractions to residents who qualify and can attend a screening 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. May 5 at the Baker Area Recreation Center, 5503 U.S. Highway 4, Baker. Appointments will be scheduled the week of May 8-12.

Further criteria for the free service are that the person:

•Is age 6 or older

•Has a family at or below the 200 percent poverty guideline

•Has no dental insurance coverage

The best part of the free dental program, for Mary Ann Henley, is "to just have someone who arrives with a problem, and then we're able to see them leave and go on their way home with no pain."

To that end, 10 dentists, 10 dental assistants and nurses (two each day) will volunteer their professional services.

The nurses do medical screening on the patients, check for medications that dentists must be aware of, and give blood pressure checks, according to Mary Ann Henley.

"They're trained and they're able to provide that dental patient the very best care that he or she needs," she said.

And members of the Baker Lions Club, about 17 of them, will work throughout the week to ensure the clinic's success.

The group holds different fundraisers throughout the year to support community projects like the dental clinic and vision screenings.

"The Baker Lions try to reach out to our community, and this was just a major service project for us," Henley said.

Members of the Baker Area Ministerial Association will also assist during the event. That includes the Rev. Jim Vail of the First Baptist Church of Baker.

Vail said pastors would have lunches for the participating clinic professionals, as well as spiritual support for people attending the clinic.

"A lot of those people are hurting and we're there to help them not only with their teeth but also spiritually we can point them to Jesus Christ, and many times help them with those problems they are having in their life,” Vail said.

When asked what he gets from the endeavor, he said, "Jesus said in the Bible it's more blessed to give than to receive. It's really gratifying to help people in need and be able to give back to the community."

Baker Lions Club member Mary Ann Henley said the group has three vision programs.

EYESIGHT

•KidSight exams check for lazy eye and 17 other eye problems that can be detected for every preschooler and kindergartner in Okaloosa and Walton counties. Over 7,300 children have had examinations since 2011.

•They collect, clean and recycle eyeglasses and provide exams for area residents in need. Collection boxes are located in various stores and buildings in Crestview and Baker.

•Retinopathy screenings are available for diabetics, who have a high rate of problems with their retina

DONATIONS

They make donations to various organizations including Florida Guide Dogs for the Deaf; the Conklin Center for the Blind; Florida Lions Foundation for the Blind; the North Florida Lions Hearing Aid Bank; and Southeastern Guide Dogs, among others.

•The dental clinic served 98 patients last year.

•Dental care totaled about $35,000 last year.

More about the Baker Lions Club

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Dental clinic provides free care for those in need