Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #111842

David M. Bodick, MPH, State Health Programs/Health Education Department, Health Net of California, Inc., 11971 Foundation Place, Rancho Cordova, CA 95670, (916) 935-6629, david.m.bodick@healthnet.com, Jennifer Nuovo, MD, Regional Medical Director State Health Programs, Health Net of California Inc., 11791 Foundation Place, Building D, Rancho Cordova, CA 95670, Effie Hubbard Ruggles, MPH, Public Health Programs Administration, Halth Net of California, Inc., 11971 Foundation Place, D-1, Rancho Cordova, CA 95670, and Nancy Wongvipat, MPH, State Health Programs, Health Education Department, Health Net of California, Inc., 1055 E. Colorado Blvd. Suite 300, Pasadena, CA 91106.

Childhood Obesity has reached epidemic proportions. In Sacramento California, the state Capital, 32.3% of children ages 6 to 11 are obese or overweight causing type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and other chronic conditions in children of all ethnicities. Health Net, a managed care organization, organized a coalition to develop a pilot series of three one week “Health and Fitness Day Camp” programs targeting families with obese children eligible for Medi-Cal/Medicaid program. Children and adult participants will be able to recognize and apply the values of proper nutrition, physical activity and positive self-esteem. This dynamic approach to address obesity is unique, as coalition members are from varying parts of the community and have different perspectives. Coalition members, each with specific strengths and talents needed to develop a comprehensive program, include nonprofit agencies (Community Resource Project/WIC), public agencies (City Parks), for profit business (construction and engineering firms) and professional sports organizations, in addition to the American Heart Association, nursing students from a local university, California Diabetes Prevention and Control Program, and local media. These organizations would not otherwise work together or potentially be interested in such an issue. Health Net's guiding principle in this endeavor brings partners together and uses community resources to address community needs. This multi-dimensional health education intervention is designed to be highly portable and easy to reproduce in any setting. Short and long term outcomes include participant assessment regarding knowledge, attitude and behaviors in nutrition, fitness, and self-esteem. Data collected includes differences in fitness, body weight and BMI.

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of the sessions, participants will be able to

• List required characteristics for successful program development regarding a child obesity camp program.
• identify key gatekepers and stakeholders in the communityregarding program planning, implementation, and evaluation specific to child obesity.
• identify and understand key lements in building a team from divergent disciplines focusing on child obesity.
• Assess the feasibility of using this aproach in their setting.

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.