PROJECT SUMMARY
Using funds provided by a Community Access to Child Health (CATCH) grant from the American Academy of Pediatrics, Dr. Jonathan Fanburg of Maine Coast Pediatrics has initiated a project designed to determine the factors that drive youth obesity in the greater Ellsworth area of Downeast Maine. This project is a collaborative effort of Maine Coast Pediatrics, the James Russell Wiggins Downeast Family YMCA, the Ellsworth School Department, and Union River Healthy Communities (A program of Downeast Health Services/ A Healthy Maine Partnership).
At the core of this project is a team of approximately 30 leaders from area businesses, schools and government, as well as healthcare and community organizations: The Youth Obesity Think Tank. This group has met twice during the first half of 2007 to discuss the dimensions of the problem. Currently, the project is in a two-part Research Phase. The first part is composed of a series of focus group studies of School Food Directors, youth, parents and others. The second part will consist of a survey to be designed based on focus group results and administered to parents of students in the Ellsworth public school district, in order to get a wider sampling of opinion about what needs to be done to improve nutrition and physical activity options for area youth. Once this research is complete, the Think Tank will reconvene to analyze the results, identify a Master Plan of action, and discuss dispersion of the Plan.
The current project is part of a “planning” grant which runs through February of 2008. Based on the Think Tank’s recommendations, Dr. Fanburg intends to apply for implementation funds in order to initiate programs to tackle the youth obesity epidemic in Downeast Maine.
Parent and Youth Focus Group Summary
School Food Service Providers Summary
Meeting Minutes 04.10.07
Meeting Minutes 05.29.07
For more information on this project, contact Dr. Jonathan Fanburg:
Jonathan Fanburg, MD
Maine Coast Pediatrics
50 Union Street
Ellsworth, ME 04605
(207) 664-5680
Email: jfanburg@aap.net
