Provista Bariatric Survey Shows Increase in Morbidly Obese Students

U.S. Colleges and Universities Taking Steps to Combat Issue and Provide More Health Programs for Students

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Nov 18, 2010, 09:00 ET

IRVING, Texas, Nov. 18, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- With the issue of obesity, especially among young people, on the national political agenda, there is heightened awareness of the struggle, corresponding health issues and the associated costs to our health care system. Provista, one of the country's leading supply chain improvement companies, and its contracting company Novation conducted a survey to determine how our nation's universities and colleges are accommodating these obese students. The results, a snapshot of U.S. colleges and universities, reveal that 21 percent have seen an increase in morbidly obese students and that nearly 80 percent have some type of fitness program and 44 percent have a weight loss program on campus.

"Each year, Novation surveys the members of VHA Inc. and UHC around their ability to care for the morbidly obese population in the health care arena. This is the first time Provista has surveyed its higher education members," said Eleanor Waddell, vice president at Provista. "We wanted to determine the issues our colleges and universities are encountering when working with morbidly obese patients and the programs that they're implementing to help combat the problem."

All of the respondents indicated that durable medical equipment such as wheelchairs are available in their student health centers. The cost of a bariatric wheelchair is more than $1,000 while a standard chair is $150, representing a significant investment in resources by the organizations.

Additionally, respondents indicated that a key issue for their organization is the lack of training for staff on how to handle this population in the dorm room, the cafeteria and the class room. Nearly 91 percent have no formal training for staff. And more than 90 percent have no plans for any renovations to accommodate these students.

Other key findings from the survey include:

57% of the respondents use chairs, 43% use beds, and 29% use toilets and desks to accommodate morbidly obese students in their facilities.
32% of the respondents indicate that their student health centers are equipped to handle morbidly obese patients.
100% of the respondents indicate that durable medical equipment is available in their student health centers.
Other bariatric equipment that is available in their student health centers are beds (60%), lifts (40%) and transfer devices (20%).
75% of the respondents indicate that beds account for the highest total cost and/or the greatest increase in spending at their facilities followed by furniture which is 50%.
20% of the respondents indicate that their facilities provide special meals/supplements for morbidly obese students.
91% of the respondents indicate that they have not invested in the physical renovation for their facilities to accommodate morbidly obese students and 9% plan to invest in the physical renovation.
Only 9% of the respondents indicate that their facilities have offered training for staff regarding special procedures for dealing with morbidly obese students while 91% have not.

Obesity is a leading preventable cause of death worldwide and, with increasing prevalence in adults and children, authorities view it as one of the most serious public health problems of the 21st century. Morbid obesity is diagnosed by determining Body Mass Index (BMI) with normal BMI ranging from 20-25. An individual is considered morbidly obese if they are 100 pounds over their ideal body weight, has a BMI of 40 or more, or is 35 or older and experiencing obesity-related health conditions, such as high blood pressure or diabetes.

About Provista

Based in Irving, Texas, Provista is a supply chain improvement company serving more than 20,000 colleges and universities, corporations and health care organizations nationwide. Together, Provista and its supply contracting company, Novation, provide over $35 billion in annual purchases providing significant value to their membership. Provista is owned by VHA Inc. and the University HealthSystem Consortium (UHC), two national health care alliances.

SOURCE Provista