MINERAL COUNTY – Medical experts believe obesity has become an epidemic problem, but a new nation-wide program through Mineral Community Hospital has proven effective as a means of reversing it.

MCH started to use the Ideal Protein Program when the staff decided to find a way to address obesity in the community. According to Kelly Yancy, Ideal Protein Program Director at MCH, the hospital started with the program in June, focused mainly within the facility’s staff, and recently opened it up to the public. Yancy estimated approximately 40 people have signed up so far and have collectively lost over 1,100 pounds and “an alarming number of inches” through use of the program.

“So this program really does work,” said Yancy. “It works really really well and that’s why we’re using it.”

According to Yancy, the program uses a low-carbohydrate, adequate protein diet to hold back production of insulin in the pancreas and encourage production of glycagon. Yancy said glycagon tells the body to burn fat cells for energy, causing a person to lose weight.

The diet used by the program has a person consume enough protein to sustain muscle mass, unlike other diets where both fat and muscle are lost. At the same time, there are not enough carbs taken in to trigger the release of insulin to create fat stores. Yancy described it as reversing the role of the pancreas.

After the dieter’s weight has dropped to healthier levels, Yancy said her office would begin to work with the person for the future. She said lifestyle changes would likely have to be made along with diet counseling to manage carbs. These together would help reverse symptoms of the epidemic.

“First, we address the disease of obesity,” said Yancy. “Then we educate so the person can be their own advocate and manage their own health.”

Yancy quoted a trend where two out of three American adults and one in three children are overweight. She also said one in four young adults are unfit for military service, due to obesity. Yancy said because of these health problems recruiters would turn these people away.

According to Yancy, the current generation of children actually has a shorter lifespan than previous generations. Approximately a third of children in the U.S. are statistically expected to develop diabetes by adulthood.

Obesity is caused by the carb-rich diet many Americans favor and a general lack of exercise. The combination means more fat is created, with no way for the body to release the energy stored in it. Yancy described the combination as unnatural.

“Our bodies haven’t changed, basically since modern man first started on the earth,” said Yancy. “Carbs and fat don’t even exist together in nature. That’s something society and the food industry thought would be a good idea.”

People who suffer from obesity tend to spend more on health care as a result of the additional health issues it causes. Yancy estimated $147 billion a year in Medicaid is spent on obesity related issues. These figures can lead to other problems, especially once the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare, comes into effect.

According to Yancy, the reimbursements provided by the act are based on results. If a patient gets treated for high cholesterol, but shows no improvement, the doctor receives less money. This could result in doctors who refuse to treat some people with obesity.

“It isn’t something [MCH] would do, but it’s a trend that could ultimately actually decline the healthcare of our nation,” said Yancy.

According to Yancy, MCH hopes to hold a promotion related to the program in January. She said the hospital would likely hold educational seminars in January as well. The hope is to raise awareness of obesity and fight it. The Ideal Protein Program has been the first step for MCH to fight against obesity and lessen its presence in Mineral County.

“It’s part of our mission to impact the health of our community,” said Yancy. “We’re very serious about it and this is where we picked to start.”

For more information on the program, contact Kelly Yancy at MCH.