Brownsville Center Fighting Obesity

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, more than half of Black and Latino Americans are overweight. The numbers for women of color are even higher – about two-thirds are overweight. More than one-third are obese - 30% above ideal body weight. Why is this important? Being overweight leads to high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, and other related illnesses. Coupled with physical inactivity, it accounts for more than 300,000 premature deaths nationally each year. The Brownsville Multi-Service Family Health Center may be an answer to this problem.

A Matter of Economics

The problem of obesity is to a great degree associated with socio-economic conditions. People who are poor are more likely to have health problems than the affluent. Health problems that accompany obesity especially affect Black and Latino working poor families. These higher incidences of inferior health among underserved minority populations have an immediate impact on our communities.

A quick look at the statistics of Central Brooklyn – low-wage neighborhoods that are overwhelmingly Black and Latino - reveals that over 60 percent of households have an annual income of less than $30,000 and nearly half the adult population is jobless. A 2004 city Department of Health survey found that 29% of adults in the Bedford-Stuyvesant – Crown Heights neighborhoods were obese based on the respondents self-reported weight and height. The city’s average was 21.7%.

The neighborhoods of Central Brooklyn are rife with fast food restaurants, like many Black and Latino areas of the city. Fresh fruits and vegetables, however, are often hard to find in local groceries and bodegas. Young people especially are at risk of relying on a fast food diet. They are also inundated with junk food at school. The result is a spike in the rates of obesity and malnutrition – despite high food intake - of Black and Latino children.

The effects of obesity are reflected in grim statistics. There are markedly higher percentages in the cause of death in Central Brooklyn for diabetes (200%), stroke (50%), and heart disease (30%) than in the city as a whole.

Life and Wellness Spa

The Brownsville Multi-Service Family Health Center (BMS) is doing something proactive to improve the lives of the residents of Central Brooklyn. BMS, the flagship health center of the Brownsville Community Development Corporation, has seven sites throughout Brownsville and East New York that address the medical, dental, and social services needs of these communities. BMS is now working to establish the BMS Life and Wellness Spa.

The aim of the Wellness Spa is to reduce health problems linked to obesity and create a ripple effect that will spearhead a “Wellness Revolution” throughout Central Brooklyn. The Spa will seek to empower patients by educating them about the links between their eating habits, health, and physical fitness, rather than simply treating them with drugs or stomach stapling for weight loss.

The Wellness Spa is a health resource concept whose time has come. It will be a place where primary care providers can prescribe a plan and monitor the physical fitness and nutritional regimen of BMS patients, especially those who are considered at high risk of illness or death.

A key factor in the appeal of the Wellness Spa is affordability. Registration and membership fees will be offered on a sliding scale based on household income and family size. There is a one-time registration fee of $15-$20. A majority of members will pay an average of $20 a month; about one-third will pay $35 a month.

Compare these fees with fitness centers across the city, which are likely to be extraordinarily expensive, making access to physical wellness programs prohibitive to all but those with plenty of disposable income. Given the economic situation of communities of color in New York City, few residents can afford to join these centers.

The latest Community Service Society survey revealed that 41 percent of low-wage New Yorkers reported having less than $100 in savings. Half have less than $500. So even local YMCAs are a luxury for many residents of Central Brooklyn neighborhoods.

The BMS Wellness Spa is unique in that patient care will be coordinated and monitored between their primary doctor and their fitness care coordinator. This level of integration will encourage patients to continue with their regimen. The goal is self-empowerment, where patients learn the importance of taking control of their health and fitness.

BMS is the place to go for low-wage families. It is committed to serving a population not accustomed to joining a health club. Many residents of Central Brooklyn are not only concerned about the high costs; they are likely to worry about not fitting in and not being able to perform physical exercises. BMS has anticipated this by planning to create a welcoming, non-judgmental environment at the Spa.

BMS recognizes that many people are not primarily interested in exercise or fitness; they are interested in staying healthy. Therefore, the Wellness Spa’s programs emphasize information and education, focusing on the connection between exercise and health while monitoring each individual’s progress. For instance, exercise is one key to controlling type 2 diabetes.

BMS’ new Wellness Spa location is near the corner of Rockaway Avenue and Pitkin Avenue in Brooklyn. It will include new electronic technology, providing seamless integration between the physical fitness center and the primary care services. I encourage local residents to take advantage of BMS’ range of services by becoming a member of a BMS Health Center.

BMS’ goal is to spread good health practices and raise the quality of life for communities of color. The Wellness Spa will provide a cost effective program that can be a model for other boroughs in the city, particular in neighborhoods with high concentrations of Black and Latino residents. The newly planned Spa deserves the support of both public and private sector funding.

From the New York Amsterdam News
September 20 – 26, 2007