On March 8 2021, South Carolina’s COVID-19 Vaccination Plan advanced to Phase 1b. One of the qualifying criteria for those eligible to receive the vaccine during this phase is, “People with increased risk for severe COVID-19 disease”. This includes people with high-risk medical conditions ranging from cancer to Down syndrome to pregnancy. An obesity diagnosis is also one of the high-risk medical conditions listed as an eligible factor to receive the vaccine. To understand whether you qualify as someone with obesity, you need to know your Body Mass Index (BMI), as well as how to calculate it.
So what is BMI and how do you calculate it?
BMI is the acronym for Body Mass Index. It is a long-standing screening method to determine whether someone is a healthy weight. Knowing your BMI is important and there are three relatively simple methods one can use to determine this:
Use an automated calculator to determine your BMI, such as this: https://www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/assessing/bmi/adult_bmi/english_bmi_calculator/bmi_calculator.html
To calculate BMI using a calculator, divide weight in pounds (lbs) by height in inches (in) squared and then multiply by a conversion factor of 703. For example, weight (lb) / [height (in)]² x 703
To calculate without a square function on your calculator, divide weight by height twice and then multiply by 703. For example, calculate as follows: [weight (lb)/ height (in)/ height (in)] x 703
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) defines any adult with a BMI exceeding 30 to be obese. In South Carolina, approximately 35% of South Carolinians are eligible for the vaccine based on BMI exceeding 30kg/m².
It has become increasingly obvious throughout the last year of this pandemic that each individual has a very different physical response to contracting COVID-19. Based on a diagnosis of obesity, the risk of contracting the virus and showing very ill-inducing symptoms is high. Click here for more information on the risk of COVID-19 for those with an obesity diagnosis.
Let’s come together as a community and do what we can to limit the further spread of COVID-19 and improve the health outcomes for those who do contract the virus.
Wear a mask, keep your distance from others, and get vaccinated.
Wholespire, formerly Eat Smart Move More SC, and the South Carolina Office of Rural Health (SCORH) received a grant from the BlueCross® BlueShield® of South Carolina Foundation, an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, for a collaborative project to improve the health of South Carolina’s economically vulnerable citizens.
The project will expand upon the current work of both agencies to address the root causes of poor health outcomes across the state. Wholespire and SCORH each have a strong track record of using a coalition-driven approach to effect health transformation in local communities. The two agencies collectively work with coalitions in 38 counties across South Carolina.
“We know that the health of a community is about more than the medical care received in a doctor’s office or hospital. The social determinants of health – food access, opportunities for recreation and exercise, safe housing, employment and other factors – also play a role in the well-being of a community,” said Darlene Lynch, SCORH’s director of community health transformation. “SCORH and Wholespire are excited to deepen our partnership and serve rural communities as they work to elevate their overall health status.”
The grant will support this work for four years across the state. The primary components of this project will be the creation of a technical assistance model that includes scalable training and coaching, and capacity building and financial support for urban and rural coalitions across the state to improve population health.
“Over the years, our organizations found that our work increasingly overlapped, so in 2020, Wholespire and SCORH began conversations to create a formal partnership and establish a collaborative project,” said Wholespire’s Executive Director Meg Stanley. “We both view this as an opportunity to leverage the expertise and resources of Wholespire and SCORH to create greater impact and to be a model of collaboration for local communities and state partners.”
This initiative will build off the successes of SCORH’s Blueprint for Health program and Wholespire’s Let’s Go 3.0 mini-grant initiatives that also were funded by the BlueCross® BlueShield® of South Carolina Foundation.
Blueprint for Health allowed SCORH to offer funding of up to $25,000 to 12 communities to bring together rural community leaders from multiple sectors to collaborate on solutions to the root causes for poor health and build capacity at the local level to solve community health issues.
Let’s Go 3.0 mini-grants offered funding of up to $5,000 each for projects that increased access to healthy foods and safe places for physical activity through policy, systems, and environmental change projects.
The Leadership Summit is back after a one-year hiatus and Eat Smart Move More South Carolina (ESMMSC) staff couldn’t be more excited! The planning committee and staff have been working diligently to learn best practices related to hosting a virtual conference, brainstorming some fun factors, and taking on the Youth Edition, formerly known as the Youth Summit.
The Leadership Summit for Healthy Communities + Youth Edition will be May 12-13 on your computer. You can kick back, relax, and take in the valuable information our speakers will present to you. This year’s Summit is focusing on historical and cultural influences that impact perceptions on healthy eating, active living, and health. This annual event is also focusing on the importance of cross-collaboration between community coalitions and youth advocates. Youth may just be the key to unlocking local initiative success!
Going Virtual Virtual conferences aren’t optimal but given the continued risks of spreading and contracting COVID-19, it’s the best choice for ESMMSC. “We just couldn’t go another year without providing an outlet for our community and state partners to network and learn best practices and lesson learned around the latest initiatives happening in the state,” says Kelsey Allen, manager of community initiatives.
The virtual Leadership Summit will provide opportunities for attendees to network through the virtual platform. There will also be pre-conference networking opportunities focused on specific topics scheduled for May 10-11.
+ Youth Edition In the past, ESMMSC hosted the Youth Summit, a one-day conference for youth from HYPE teams and youth-serving organizations to convene and learn about HYPE projects, social justice, and youth advocacy. The 2020 Youth Summit was live streamed on Facebook over four weeks and drew a good crowd of youth and adults. Rather than hosting separate virtual events, staff thought combining the events would increase interest across both audiences.
“I’ve always wanted to find a way to get youth to the Leadership Summit to network with and learn from community coalitions and public health professionals,” says Trimease Carter, manager of youth engagement. “The virtual Summit is the perfect opportunity to make that happen. My hope is that youth will participate in the Leadership Summit and coalitions and public health professionals will participate in the Youth Edition.”
Three Keynote Speakers Building on the theme of Understand. Influence. Change.: Understanding yesterday to influence today for a better tomorrow, the Summit Planning Committee approved three keynote speakers. Queen Quet, Dr. Kathryn Silva Hyde, and By the Hand Club for Kids/Austin Harvest will provide inspiration for youth and adults to engage with each other and make a healthy difference in their communities.
Queen Quet, Chieftess and Head-of-State of The Gullah/Geechee Nation Wednesday, May 12 | 1:10 p.m. – 1:45 p.m. For centuries, the Gullah/Geechee people have endured inequities and unfair treatment that have negatively impacted their quality of life. Queen Quet, Chieftess of the Gullah/Geechee Nation, will present on how her people live an active life that supports overall healthy living. She will reveal how public health advocates and community coalitions can work with the Gullah/Geechee people to increase access to healthy eating and active living resources and improve health outcomes.
Dr. Kathryn Silva Hyde, Chair and Assistant Professor of History in the Department of Humanities at Claflin University Thursday, May 13 | 1:10 p.m. – 1:45 p.m. Why are African Americans skeptical about health and healthcare? How does African American history and culture influence today’s perspectives? Dr. Kathryn Silva Hyde will explore the history and treatment of African Americans over the course of centuries. She will provide insight into why, in today’s world, African Americans are hesitant to trust, not only healthcare providers and public health professionals, but also leadership, new ideas, new initiatives, and new resources implemented to help shape health outcomes.
By the Hand Club for Kids and Austin Harvest Thursday, May 13 | 4:40 p.m. – 5:10 p.m. Austin Harvest is a youth-led open-air fresh market that provides fresh produce to the residents of the Austin neighborhood in the far west side of Chicago. Austin Harvest grew out of a desire for youth to lead the way for positive community change. Due to decades of racial inequities highlighted by the killing of George Floyd and the COVID-19 crisis, By The Hand Club for Kids youth gathered in healing circles with local police and athletes to process recent violence and brainstorm solutions for their community in June of 2020. The students challenged the stakeholders to think about systematic reform but also expressed the need to do something now. This led to the idea of Austin Harvest and the transformation of a looted liquor store into a fresh market. More than providing fresh food to a neighborhood that historically lacks access to healthy and affordable produce, the aim of Austin Harvest is to bring people together and bring hope not only to their neighborhood but to inspire other communities that they too can make change.
Pre-Conference Activity In-person networking is a major part of the Summit, and ESMMSC staff were concerned about attendees missing out those opportunities. That’s why the planning committee agreed to offer Pre-Conference Networking. Like a Zoom meeting, participants will be able to logon and see each other as they interact around specific topics:
Chapter Chairs Best Practices, Lessons Learned, and Future Directions
Challenges & Best Practices for Project Implementation During a Crisis
Legislative Update
Capacity Building: Creating Strength and Sustainability for Your Coalition
Collaborating with Local Youth Leaders
How can our work be more intersectional?
All of the sessions are optional registration items and will be moderated by ESMMSC staff.
In addition to Pre-Conference Networking, an optional Pre-Conference Workshop will be available to anyone interested in learning more about disability inclusion. Inclusive Strategies for Working with Individuals with Disabilities: Empowering Equal Access, produced by the National Center on Health, Physical Activity and Disability and the University of South Carolina, provides instruction on the rights of people with disabilities, how to include people with disabilities in your work, and the etiquette you need to consider. This training has a pre-test that will be emailed to registrants prior to the training, as well as a post test that will be emailed following the training.
On-Demand and Continuing Education One of the benefits of virtual conference is the opportunity to provide on-demand videos. After the Summit ends, registrants will have access to all sessions for up to six months. That means registrants can view as many breakout sessions as they want, so there’s no missing out on a session. Note that pre-conference activity will not be available on-demand.
“The only drawback is that continuing education credit will only be available for the live session,” says Meg Stanley, executive director. “CEUs will not be available for on-demand sessions, so participants should be selective when choosing which live breakout session to attend for CUEs.”
To be eligible for continuing education credit, participants must be in a session and complete the session evaluation. Once those actions have occurred, CEU documentation will be available to the participant in their name. ESMMSC is applying for continuing education in the following areas: CHES/MCHES, Social Workers, and Registered Dieticians. Certificates of Attendance will be available for all other certification programs.
In addition to keynote speakers, Youth Edition, pre-conference activity, there will be two general sessions and four concurrent sessions featuring four sessions each. There will also be door prizes and a hint of something new happening for ESMMSC. Registration and more details for the Leadership Summit for Healthy Communities + Youth Edition are coming soon, so save the date and check your email inbox!
Eat Smart Move More South Carolina invested at least $43,219.48 into mini grant projects that addressed healthy eating over the course of a three-year project supported with funds from BlueCross® BlueShield® of South Carolina Foundation. Fourteen projects were completed in eleven different communities.
One of the many successful projects includes the South Carolina School for the Deaf and the Blind….
Unforeseen Advantages The South Carolina School for the Deaf and the Blind is the only school in South Carolina that serves deaf, blind and multi-sensory disabled students. The school serves almost 1600 students statewide, with 175 students living on campus Monday through Friday. “As a residential school, our students spend a lot of time with our staff and, like all children, they emulate the behaviors they see. If we want them to eat healthier and exercise, we need to include our staff,” said the Director of Development, Weslie Higdon. With this in mind, the Pathways to Healthy Living project was started at the school with a grant from the JM Smith Foundation in 2018. The overarching goal of the project was to encourage staff and students to live healthier.
This project started with a healthy snack initiative in the first year and then moved onto the Fountains of Health, which consisted of buying water bottles for everyone and adding water bottle filling stations in various locations on campus. “We had no idea that the pandemic was coming so it was just like serendipity that this great project was able to work in a way that we didn’t originally think of to keep our students and our staff safe,” Alice Lang, the Grants Coordinator, reflected on the project. 30 water bottle filling stations were added to the campus, four of which were installed with the Let’s Go 3.0 Mini Grant.
Reactions to the Fountains of Health A lot of the problems they encountered were technical things in the older buildings. The campus was first built in 1849 and one of the water fountains that was replaced with a filling stations was installed in 1969. Some of the ideas they had in mind for the filling stations weren’t feasible due to the way the buildings were originally built. Weslie and Alice praised their contractor, Cooler Dude, for solving the problems that they never envisioned being a problem.
Another filling station was installed in Walker Hall, where 700 water bottles were filled between August and December. Needless to say, the project has been a huge hit among students and staff, especially since the water fountains weren’t able to be used due to COVID-19. Weslie’s favorite part “was when everyone came back to campus and saw them. I had a teacher tell me ‘We were worried that we were going to have to work with them on it, but they were so excited, they just walked right up to it and started filling up their bottles, they were so glad that they finally had one in that school.’”
The other two filling stations are outside by the track, an area Weslie and Alice thought would have to be put on hold. The campus isn’t currently open to the public, but once they open back up, the campus welcomes community members and hosts sporting events like soccer, football, and goalball, a game designed for people with blindness! Weslie is sure the outside filling stations will be popular among the community members. “The welcome center gets calls every day about if the track is open yet so I know that when we do allow people back on campus, it will get used a lot. It’s so nice not to have to cart your water or watch how much you drink or forget it in the car and have to go back and get it.”
Next Steps This is the final year of funding for the Pathways to Healthy Living project, but the project will still move forward to encourage students and staff to live healthier. Projects for the spring will depend on how COVID-19 pans out, but Alice is sure the project will last past the funding. “Next steps will really be about sustainability. Many of our students are considered low income, and many of the families we work with are struggling to put food on the table right now. They don’t have time to sit down and teach them about nutrition and exercise and the importance of drinking water so that’s a vital role that we play here in instructing our students and giving them an example, so I’m sure that administration will continue with this, maybe with different projects, but it needs to be sustained”
For the third year in a row, Eat Smart Move More South Carolina (ESMMSC) is partnering with the 7th Episcopal District of the AME Church to teach teens about The Healthy Young People Empowerment (HYPE) Project and to help guide them through a project that focuses on healthy eating and/or active living in their churches or communities.
This year, eight churches were selected through a competitive application and review process to receive mini-grants and form church-based HYPE teams. Three of the teams are new grantees that will identify new projects, while five are returning teams that will build upon their existing grant work.
Last year, the shutdown that resulted from COVID-19 occurred less than two weeks after the HYPE teams were trained. As a result, they had to quickly pivot, figuring out how to connect virtually to discuss initial project plans and any changes needed based on safety guidelines for COVID-19. Then, they had to figure out how to implement their projects with closed churches and community facilities. On top of that, some teams even dealt with the direct impacts of COVID-19 within their congregations.
“This year is different,” says Trimease Carter, ESMMSC’s youth engagement manager. “We are more prepared to implement The HYPE Project during the pandemic and somewhat know what to expect. We’ve redesigned the curriculum and training for full virtual implementation.” The new round of HYPE teams will attend a virtual training in March to kick off the project. This opportunity is funded through a grant that ESMMSC received from the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control’s Division of Division of Injury and Substance Abuse Prevention. Through this partnership, HYPE teams will address healthy eating and active living while also incorporating safety and injury prevention components into their projects.
