UNA Helps Fight Childhood Obesity

Sep. 14, 2009

FLORENCE, Ala. – While the healthcare debate rages all over the country, the University of North Alabama and Lauderdale County Children’s Policy Council are beginning a program to tackle one of the country’s most widespread health concerns: obesity.

UNA is teaming up with the Lauderdale County Children’s Policy Council and the Florence-based Infants and Children’s Clinic to conduct a six-month pilot program to help combat the growing childhood obesity problem in Lauderdale County.

The program is called No PANE (Physical Activity and Nutrition Education).

No PANE began Sept. 1 at the UNA East Campus and is continuing the first Tuesday of every month for six months.

The program is including instruction from the UNA Department of Health, Physical Education and Recreation (HPER), which is teaching families exercises they can do in their own homes.

The UNA culinary arts program is also volunteering with No PANE to provide healthy meals for the participating families and is also instructing the families on how to prepare their own healthy meals.

“This program is unique in that we’re involving the whole family and encouraging everyone in that family to be healthy,” said Dr. Lee Renfroe, assistant professor of HPER.

The UNA Department of Human Environmental Science is helping fund No PANE along with the Lauderdale County Children’s Policy Council, according to Renfroe.

INTERVIEWS AVAILABLE: For interviews or more information about No PANE, contact the Office of University Communications at 256-765-4225 or jlwoods1@una.edu, or Renfroe at 256-765-4558 or lrenfroe@una.edu.