July 18, 2012
The obesity battle central Missouri
The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services reports that almost two out of every three adult
Missourians are considered overweight or obese. Failing to maintain a healthy
weight can have serious health consequences including chronic conditions such
as high blood pressure and diabetes that compromise the quality and length of
life.
In
2009, the University of Missouri partnered with Cerner to form the Tiger Institute for Health Innovation partnership. Through this partnership we are
making bigger strides toward a community that is more engaged in its personal
health. We are providing the tools and motivational programs to lead Columbia
toward becoming a healthier community.
Together
with the Tiger Institute, MU Health Care is committed to reversing unhealthy
lifestyle trends. We have partnered with business and community leaders in
Columbia to join forces in developing and sustaining wellness programs. The
Columbia public schools, Boone County government, Wilson’s Fitness and Mizzou
Athletics represent just a few of the organizations committed to working with
us in order to encourage individuals toward healthy activities.
In May
of 2012, the Tiger Institute launched the Columbia Slimdown Challenge, a
12-week weight-loss challenge with more than 650 teams and 3,585 players
committing to lose weight and get healthy. Teams consisting of 4 to 6
players worked together to lose the highest percentage of weight to win
exciting prizes. Prizes ranged from $500 gift cards to tickets to the first
Mizzou 2012 season home game.
In alignment with the Columbia
Slimdown Challenge, MU Health Care developed HealthyU, a community-focused
educational program to help participants better understand and
maintain good health. The program kicked off with a series of "Couch
to 5K" seminars, after which more than 70 percent of participants reported
registering for a race just three weeks after the initial training session. In
addition, guest speaker Ali Vincent, the season 5 winner of NBC’s hit reality
show, “The Biggest Loser,” motivated more than 400 Columbians to take control
of their own health and fitness goals.
Jeri Doty, RN, MSN, serves as chief
planning officer of University of Missouri Health Care. As chief planning officer, Doty leads MU
Health Care’s strategic planning efforts. She oversees business development,
planning, physician recruitment and support, public relations, marketing and
managed-care contracting. Doty became chief planning officer in 2003
after serving as MU Health Care’s director of business development for nine
years. She also held the positions of director of business health services and
assistant director of health promotion at Boone Hospital Center in Columbia, Mo.