NEW ULM - NBC's "Biggest Loser" health and motivational expert, Bob Harper came close to packing the former Middle School's auditorium Saturday night.
Of course, that was what organizers of the Heart of New Ulm program were hoping to do by bringing Harper in as the "clean-up" hitter for the first annual Heart of New Ulm "Summit" during which those attending learned what had been accomplished in the local program's first year and what is planned for Year Two in 2010.
It was the job of Jeff VanWormer, a Minneapolis-based epidemiologist, to update the audience about the project's first year which, he said, was centered upon determining what kind of shape New Ulmites are in.
Although, as of Nov. 4, 2009, nearly 5,000 adults in New Ulm have participated in heart health screening for the Heart of New Ulm project, there's a lot more work to be done in screening, VanWormer noted.
However, the work to date in New Ulm shows that risk factors for heart attack affect many people. Some risk factors, such as overweight/obesity, are particularly high in New Ulm, VanWormer said.
Also, 36 percent of the adults in New Ulm have metabolic syndrome. That's when a person has at least three of the following risk factors - abdominal obesity, high blood pressure, low HDL cholesterol, high triglycerides or high blood glucose.
"A person can develop any of the risk factors for heart attack by itself, but some tend to occur together. Of those who are at the highest risk for a heart attack, 33 percent don't use any sort of preventive medical therapy, such as daily aspirin or anti-cholesterol medication," he reported.
Further, the screening already done this year shows that, regarding the risk factor of high LDL cholesterol, 34 percent of the New Ulm residents screened had high LDL cholesterol, compared to 32 percent nationwide. However, New Ulmites fared better with high blood pressure as 25 percent of New Ulm residents were subject to high blood pressure compared to 22 percent in Minnesota and 29 percent in the United States, and as to the uncontrolled glucose factor, 28 percent of New Ulmites had the problem compared to 26 percent in the U.S.
However, 73 percent of Ulmites screened were overweight/obese. The state average is 64 percent and 66 percent nationwide, When it comes to smoking, however, New Ulm leads the pack. Only 11 percent of New Ulmites smoke, compared to 17 percent statewide and 20 percent nationwide.
As the 2010 community challenge program will be a two-year commitment. "it will be the water cooler conversations [of people who are working to improve their health] that will motivate others," he said. "The first step is to see your medical provider regularly."
"Dealing with people's relationship to food is the biggest thing I do on the show," Harper said.
[That involves] giving them the quality of life that they can sustain. With clients on the show, I learn from them. I ask them if 'you are ready to change what is not working. I also ask them what's stopping you from making a change in your life?"
However, he said he didn't believe the people of New Ulm would have the problem changing like some of the show contestants do. "This whole town is a support group. That's unheard of. Of course, I wanted to come to New Ulm."
Ron Larsen can be reached at rlarsen@nujournal.com
