Taking action together to reduce obesity and overweight and the medical conditions associated with these conditions is essential for securing Maine's health and economic future. The Maine Obesity Advisory Council (MOAC) was convened in October 2017 by the Maine Center for Disease Control & Prevention (Maine CDC) and Let's Go!, a program of The Barbara Bush Children's Hospital at Maine Medical Center. MOAC has developed recommendations to guide local, district, and statewide programs, policies, and partnerships in reducing obesity and the medical conditions associated with obesity, that result in poor health, higher medical costs, and negative impacts on quality of life in Maine. The Maine AAP has been an active contributor to the work of the MOAC.
Measures for Children at High Risk for Obesity. The new resource includes a decision tree that walks researchers and practitioners through a series of questions regarding whether to develop, adapt, or apply an instrument for obesity measures in high-risk populations. The decision tree also provides five real-world case scenarios that describe the rationale for choosing one of the three measurement approaches.
Let’s Go! is a nationally recognized childhood obesity prevention program implemented throughout Maine and in a few communities in neighboring states. We partner with schools, child care and out-of-school programs, healthcare practices and community organizations to change environments where children and families live, learn work and play.