By the numbers
78.6 million: U.S. adults who are considered obese.
67.5: Percent of adults in Clark County who reported being are overweight or obese as part of the most recent Clark County Behavior Risk Factor Surveillance Survey.
22.6: Percentage of adults did not participate in physical activity.
Source: Centers for Disease Control and the Clark County Combined Health District.
Healthy Springfield: About this series
Many readers responded to a report late last year that ranked Springfield as the least healthy city in Ohio. That response — including wanting to make a positive difference — prompted the Springfield News-Sun to take a closer look at the community’s health. This year, the News-Sun will dig into the public health issues facing the city, including smoking and school lunch programs and efforts to improve them. In April, the News-Sun will investigate minority health in the community.
Unmatched coverage
The Springfield News-Sun provides in-depth coverage of important health issues, including recent stories on the 2016 county health rankings and a medical records breach at a local hospital.
More online: For more Healthy Springfield coverage, including videos, health maps and local success stories, log on to SpringfieldNewsSun.com/healthy-springfield.
Two-thirds of Clark County residents surveyed by the health district last year reported themselves as overweight or obese.
Obesity can lead to diabetes, cancer, sleep apnea, depression and other serious health problems, such as heart disease – the No. 1 cause of death in Clark County.
“You are literally carrying one or two people on your back 24/7,” said Dr. Magued Khouzam, the medical director at the Springfield Regional Weight Management Solutions, a new program that offers surgical and non-surgical weight loss programs. “Once you start unloading that weight, you’ll feel so much better.”
The estimated annual medical cost of obesity was about $147 million, according to the most recent CDC statistics.
It’s a major issue facing Springfield, which is why local leaders have set up task forces to combat it.
Over the past five years, the community has made strides to become more fit, said Anita Biles, a public health educator with the Clark County Combined Health District. In fact the 2012 health district survey showed more than three-quarters of respondents were overweight or obese.
“It’s everywhere,” Biles said. “All summer on the weekend you can do a 5K. We’re really at a peak time where we’ve got the resources, now how do we organize it to become the most effective.”
Todd Comer was one of about 78.6 million U.S. adults — nearly 35 percent of the population — who are considered obese, according to the Centers for Disease Control.
At 26 he weighed more than 500 pounds and his physician gave him scary news.
“He said that if I didn’t change my weight that I’d probably be dead by the time I was 30,” Comer said.
At the time Comer said he ate whatever he wanted, whenever he wanted. The thought of death, however, was too great to keep him making a change — he’s since dropped his weight to 204 pounds.
“For anybody who is looking to make a change, it is possible, just don’t give up,” Comer said. “Anything is accomplished with hard work and dedication.”
Creating health communities
About 30 percent of Clark County adults reported a body mass index of 30 or more, which is considered obese, according to the 2015 County Health Rankings data. That’s on par with the Ohio average, but worse than the top performers in the country.
And the health district’s Youth Risk Behavior Survey showed more than 45 percent of middle school students and 42 percent of high school students are overweight or obese.
The same surveys showed that more than 22 percent of adults didn’t participate in physical activity, while more than 60 percent of middle school and 73 percent of high school students didn’t attend physical education classes in an average week.
As part of the Community Health Assessment process, several different groups have been created by the Clark County Combined Health District to combat obesity, including the nutrition, physical activity and chronic disease task forces.
In 2014 the district received a Creating Healthy Communities grant, which created a dedicated staff position to focus on make healthy changes in the community. The state has programs in 23 counties designed to create a healthy culture and eliminate chronic diseases.
The grant led to several projects last year, including the Warder Fit Stop, a free exercise area constructed at a former vacant lot at 226 Warder St. The project was funded by a $20,000 grant from the Ohio Department of Health through the CHC program. It includes a chest press, leg extension and balance board.
It also helped bring food stamp and WIC benefits to the New Carlisle Farmers Market, where residents spent more than $650 on fruits and vegetables last year. The Springfield Farmers Market has a similar program.
Local agencies, such as the National Trail Parks and Recreation District and the Springfield Family YMCA, have provided residents with free and low-cost exercise options, Biles said. Churches have also started offering more fitness classes, such as Zumba, to the community.
This year the district has worked to create shared-use agreements with organizations that have basketball courts, playgrounds or other resources, said Sarah Dahlinghaus, a public health educator with the health district.
“We’re trying to get them to open their doors to community member,” she said, “If you’re not a member of the church or don’t frequent those agencies or organizations, people can still utilize those facilities.”
She hopes to have two to three agreements in place by the end of the year. That will allow those who can’t afford a gym membership the opportunity to exercise, she said, and it’s worked in other communities.
The task force also has focused on establishing small groups who can come together to exercise and provide guidance for each other as they work to get healthier, Biles said.
They can also educate each other about diet and exercise, as well as the importance of doing a small amount of physical activity every day, Biles said, such as gardening.
“We just want you to move,” she said.
The community must also break through cultural issues regarding diet and exercise, she said. Rather than making food the way it’s always been made, residents need to focus on making healthier choices.
Todd’s story
Todd Comer’s 307-pound weight loss journey began on an airplane.
On the way to Las Vegas for his honeymoon in 2013, the Springfield resident asked for a seat-belt extender. The flight attendant wasn’t happy about it.
“She told me the next time I fly I should think about getting two seats instead of asking for an extender,” Comer said. “That was real embarrassing. That’s when I decided I should do something about my weight.”
Comer remembers going to Anytime Fitness and only being able to walk on the treadmill for 30 minutes.
“I would act like I would workout, but I would probably just go to McDonald’s instead,” Comer said.
At his doctor’s visit, Comer, with a body mass index of nearly 70, was recommended for gastric bypass surgery.
At first, he was nervous the surgery wasn’t going to work. But after two weeks, he lost 35 pounds.
“It’s all a mental game,” Comer said. “The surgery is a tool, but you have to put in the work to get results … You can make a change on your own without surgery, but I personally couldn’t. I tried many different ways, but I like said it’s a tool. The tool helped me, but I put in the work behind it.”
After three months, he lost 100 pounds. Nearing his 29th birthday later this year, Comer has lost 307 pounds and weighs about 204 pounds.
He works out five days per week and credits trainer Shane Mounts at Anytime Fitness for helping him along the way.
“There are times I wanted to give up and he wouldn’t let me,” Comer said.
Comer has done things he would’ve never been able to do in the past, including zip-lining and going to an amusement park. He went from wearing 6XL shirts and size 60 pants to large and XL shirts and size 34 pants.
“I’m a completely different person,” Comer said. “There are people I’ve seen who don’t even recognize me anymore.”
Now, he’s hoping to start a support group for bariatrics patients in Springfield and Clark County.
“With all the help I’ve had since I’ve lost all my weight, it’s something I want to start and give back to people in the community,” Comer said.
Robin’s story
New Carlisle resident Robin Akers had gone on diets in the past, but always gained back the weight and more. She had dropped down to 250 pounds at one point, but eventually got back up to 339 pounds.
“I had always tried, but I could never do it,” she said. “I could never keep it off.”
Eventually Akers stopped weighing herself because the scale stopped at 350 pounds. She even had to start making her own clothes.
“I couldn’t buy clothes in the store anymore,” she said.
In January of 2013, Akers made a change. She began juicing and working out with personal trainer Pat Frock at Springfield Health and Fitness — who transformed her into a power lifter.
“It’s incredible,” Akers said, “I couldn’t have done it without her.”
The goal is to get to 199, she said — the same weight she was when she married her husband, Alvin, 39 years ago.
“I haven’t been there since,” she said.
After losing nearly 130 pounds with weight training and a low-carb diet, Akers is now teaching classes at the fitness center — including a Journey to Weight Loss class focused on helping people battle obesity.
The change has made more her confident in all aspects of her life, she said. Akers’ max rep includes 105 pounds on the bench press and a 230-pound deadlift.
“Once I picked up those weights, I was hooked,” she said.
While exercise is important, nutrition is key to weight loss, she said. She encouraged others to find a buddy to keep you accountable.
“Sometimes, it’s one day, one meal at a time,” Akers said. “Find someone who believes in you. Find someone you can call in the middle of the night when you want nachos. And maybe sometime you need those nachos. But just keep doing it. If you screw up, just keep doing it.”
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