Hope Alexander MPH

Posts Tagged ‘forum’

10 Best Questions for parents to ask a child obesity expert – Focus Group

Below are Hope’s notes from the Focus Group.

I did query the title – my suggestion would be a consult the family doctor BEFORE going to see a “childhood obesity expert”, whoever that may be.

All present agreed on the first question “is my child too fat?”

In the un-ranked questions I asked “Does my child need a medical assessment?”. The reason being that a GP can rule out any underling medical condition.

A child may be fat for reasons other than poor diet, lack of nutrition/exercise etc. I was the only person who saw this as an important step. I did this in real life, taking one of my girls to the GP because she was too chubby and chunky at 8 years old.

I was advised to give her smaller portions and later as a teenager she took up swimming and at 14, I got her enrolled in a women’s basketball team. She ended up as an adult with a beautiful figure.

10 Best Questions for Parents to ask a child obesity expert

1. Is my child too fat?
2. What can I do as a parent to help my child have a healthy weight?
3. What can I do to prevent my child becoming obese?
4. What food should I be giving my child and how much?
5. How do I provide a nutritional diet on a budget?
6. Why is my child fat?
7. How could I motivate myself and my child to do more physical activity and make healthy food choices?
8. How much exercise should my child get?
9. Where can I get appropriate programs?How can I lobby the government or food companies to limit the availability of unhealthy food choices?

Other questions not ranked in the top ten

1. Where can I get information about obesity?
2. Do I need to get a medical assessment by a GP?
3. How can I make my child more comfortable about their weight?
4. How can I limit my child’s exposure to unhealthy food advertising?
5. What are the effects of childhood obesity?

The draft document “Guidelines for Human Biobanks, Genetic Research Databases & Associated Data” (July 2009) is being prepared for release for public comment.

The Office of Population Health Genomics (Public Health Division) WA Health has been coordinating the development of guidelines which provide principles and best practices for the establishment, management and operation of research biobanks and DNA databases in WA. The guidelines have been developed for WA Health but are intended for use by both government and non-government research organisations in WA.

Hope received formal acknowledgement that she “has been involved in the stakeholder consultation process, contributing to the two community consultation events which informed the development of the guidelines … also gave a presentation on the consumer perspective. An acknowledgement has been included on pages x and xii that mention her by name.”

http://www.genomics.health.wa.gov.au/home/

Date: Wednesday 27th May 2009

Time: 9:15 am – 12:45 pm

Place: Boulevard Centre, 99 The Boulevard, Floreat Park, Perth, Western Australia.

• 9.20 am
  Tim Benson
  Welcome and Opening Remarks

• 9.30 am
  Bronwyn Nicholson
  Emergency Department Joondalup Hospital “On my role, what does the future look like”

• 9.55 am
  Questions

• 10.05 am
  Hope Alexander
  Nurse Practitioners in the Future: A consumer perspective

• 10.30 am
  Questions

• 10.40 am
  Morning tea

• 11.00 am
  Dr Scott Blackwell
  General Practice and Nurse Practitioners: The Way Forward

• 11.25 am
  Questions

• 11.35 am
  Professor Phil Della

• 12.00 pm
  Questions and Discussion

• 12.25 pm
  Action for Health Consumers’ Council

• 12.40 pm
  Tim Benson
  Closing remarks and thanks

Nurse Practitioners in the Future: A consumer perspective – Hope’s PowerPoint presentation can be viewed here

The Office of Population Health Genomics, Department of Health has cordially invited Hope to attend a seminar titled “Challenges for Society in the Genetic Information Age”. This event will be held on the Monday 11th May at Grace Vaughn House, 227 Stubbs Tce, Shenton Park.

This seminar will focus on genomics, ethics, biobanks, biobanking community forums similar to the one Hope presented at and participated in 2008, held in Canada.

Event: 11 May 2009 - Challenges for Society in the Genetic Information Age

Womenspeak Community Gathering – Perth Community Gathering

How non-Aboriginal women can stand in solidarity with Aboriginal women and communities

Monday 28 April 2008, Midland Town Hall, Perth

Program

Facilitators Dot Henry and Tracy Pollett

9.00 Welcome and Acknowledgement of Country – Aunty Janet Hayden, Noongar Elder

9.20 Setting the Scene – How and Why are We Here – Dot Henry, WomenSpeak Network

9.30 Speakers – Aunty Janet Hayden and Chris Ivans tell their stories

10.00 Power, Privilege and Whiteness – A presentation from Jo Willmot, Lillian Holt

11.00 Morning Tea

11.20 Music – Madjitil Moorna choir

12.00 Blinded by the White – Stories of awakening from Roz Bailey, Maria Lamattina, Kathy Richards

12.30 Lunch

1.15 Small Group Activity – Participants write up a job description for what you think are the qualities and essentials when working with working with Aboriginal women

2.00 Large Group Discussion – What are the issues/barriers that stop you from working with Aboriginal women?

2.30 Small Group Activity – Share experiences about what you are doing in your lives, workplaces and families to stand in solidarity with Aboriginal women.

3.00 Afternoon Tea

3.15 Large Group Discussion – Sharing of what was learnt in the gathering – Open discussion on what campaigns/activities Aboriginal women are involved in and are seeking support for

4.00 Recommendations from Gathering – Open discussion on recommendations or motions from gathering – Consideration of motion to support a national voice for Aboriginal women

4.30pm Closing Ceremony, Journey of Healing

5.00pm Close