Countywide challenge aims to prevent holiday weight gain

Here are some tips on avoiding weight gain over the holidays:

On average, Americans gain a pound or two every year during the holidays.

That might not sound like much, said Montgomery County Health Commissioner Jim Gross, but most people hold onto that weight — and might gain more — over the course of the next year.

“That’s 20 to 40 pounds over 20 years,” he said. “That probably launches people into the overweight or obese category, which then contributes to the chronic diseases that are killing all of us.”

This year, Gross and his colleagues at Public Health - Dayton & Montgomery County are inviting county residents, including employer and community groups, to join the “Not A Single Pound” challenge to prevent holiday weight gain.

Rules and registration are available online at www.phdmc.org/NASP. Tally sheets and weigh-in sheets are also available at the Web site.

“It’s very simple. Basically, people need to measure their weight prior to Nov. 15, then they they have to weigh out again sometime after Jan. 15,” he said. The challenge covers the holidays, as well as the college football bowl games period.

Participants will receive weekly weight and nutrition tips. Employer groups and other organizations are encouraged to offer prizes and other incentives for participants who maintain or lose a few pounds during the challenge, such as gift cards, extra time off, gym memberships or fitness equipment.

In Montgomery County, about 38 percent of adults are overweight, and another 30 percent are obese. Extra weight means extra health challenges, Gross said, including heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes and stroke.

“We estimate about 4,000 people a year in Montgomery County annually die of a chronic disease,” he said. “As much as 90 percent of those diseases are caused by unhealthy lifestyle, and overweight and obesity could be contributing to that.”

Weight loss means lower health-care costs, which should give employers an incentive to participate, Gross said.

So far, employers including Kettering City Schools, the city of Centerville, Public Health - Dayton & Montgomery County, Miamisburg School, PNC Bank, Children’s Medical Center of Dayton and Miami Valley Hospital have signed on for the challenge.

Kettering City Schools puts a strong emphasis on health and wellness, said superintendent Jim Schoenlein, and the “Not a Single Pound” challenge was a good fit for employee efforts.

“We have several reasons to work on being healthy. Quality of life is one, being there to play with our kids and grandkids. Another is that healthy employees are better employees. They’re absent less and more productive. Another is, In education, we have a special obligation to be role models for our students. We should be setting a good example for them. And the fourth one is, we hope to be able to affect our health0care costs,” said Schoenlein, who is an avid runner.

It’s easy to overeat during the holidays, when high-calorie treats are everywhere during parties and other gatherings, he said.

“If people would simply attend holiday parties without being extra hungry, they would be less likely to overeat,” he said. “If you eat something beforehand that is somewhat healthy, you’ll be helping yourself.”

Another tip: Don’t stand next to the buffet table while chatting, he said. It’s too easy to stuff yourself without even realizing it.

For many people, the holidays are immediately followed by the New Year’s resolution to lose weight. Avoiding weight gain means going into the annual diet a few pounds lighter, Gross pointed out. “You start the new year lugging extra weight, and for those who want to lose weight, you’ve set an extra challenge for yourself,” he said.

For information on participating, call (937) 496-3376.