Yvonne Anderson
Childhood and Adolescent Obesity in Aoteoroa Main Session  Friday, 13 June 2014 Start 3:00pm Duration: 20mins Baytrust The issue of obesity will no doubt be one of the most serious public health concerns of the 21st century, with the rise in standard of living and the subsequent emergence of “obesogenic” environments. The rapid increases seen in adult weight gain are now mirrored in children, which means many more years of associated co-morbidities into adult life. Obesity in children and adolescents is a major concern in New Zealand, with the Office of the Auditor General report on ways to combat child obesity released in 2013. Figures from the “Health of New Zealand Children” Survey 2011/2012 showed 11% of children aged 5-14 years are obese, which is a statistically significant increase from 2006/2007. Rates of obesity are worse for Maori (17%) and Pasifika (23%), and children living in deprived areas (19%). Management of child obesity requires both prevention and a shift in the way we think about obesity, as well as intervention programmes for those already struggling with the condition. This presentation will undertake a brief overview of the problem nationally, and will propose what potential ways the medical and wider community can tackle this issue.   Whanau Pakari - A Multidisciplinary Intervention Programme For Obesity Concurrent Workshop Repeated Friday, 13 June 2014 Start 4:30pm Duration: 55mins Room 10 Start 5:35pm Duration: 55mins Room 10 There are no co-ordinated services for overweight or obese children nationally, although some Health Boards have introduced interventions sporadically. The GRx “Active Families programme is a community, whanau-based programme that is available in most regions nationally. Review of the Active Families programme in Taranaki has led to a wider multi-disciplinary programme being introduced; a collaboration between Taranaki District Health Board, and Sport Taranaki. Whanau Pakari is an innovative multi-disciplinary obesity intervention programme for children and adolescents. It has been running since January 2012 as a randomised clinical trial, has received over 300 referrals, and 48% of those referred are rangatahi Maori or Pasifika. Its unique features are threefold. Firstly, it undertakes an assessment of a participant’s readiness to make lifestyle changes aimed to enhance likelihood of success. Secondly, utilisation of a home visit model improves accessibility for those most at risk. Finally, medical assessments are incorporated into the multi-disciplinary assessment, removing the need for every child to be seen in a medical setting. This workshop extends the information presented at the Main Session above, describes Whanau Pakari in more detail, and important findings to date. It will provide some take-home messages and lessons learned in management of child and adolescent obesity, and the management of associated co-morbidities.   The Long and Short of It - Stature in Children Main Session  Saturday, 14 June 2014 Start 9:45am Duration: 15mins Baytrust Growth in children is a non-linear process. There are many reasons why children’s growth may be affected. This presentation will cover the phases of growth, when to act on concerns with stature, potential causes, and key investigations to consider.