Challenges and opportunities for worksite wellness in elementary schools: "New Year, New You" 12 week wellness challenge

Introduction: Obesity is a problem everywhere but particularly in low income communities. Data from NYC's 2009 Community Health Survey showed that 38.4% of East & Central Harlem residents were overweight and 29.2% were obese compared to 32.8% and 22.0% respectively in NYC. For working adults, finding time to exercise and to eat healthy can pose a greater challenge when faced with limited resources and multiple responsibilities and priorities. Methods: Since 2009, four Harlem elementary schools have implemented twelve week staff wellness challenges. Participants were tested and measured in a variety of fitness components (height, weight, body measurements, push ups, and sit and reach) in January and again in April. In addition, school staff worked on accumulating wellness points each week by practicing healthier habits. Results: In the two cycles (2009 & 2010) a total of 65 school staff took part in the Wellness Challenges. Schools were able to tailor the program based on staff interests and each participant had a different fitness goal, but every participant improved in one or more areas at time of post testing. Participants also reported that the Challenge helped not only motivate them to make healthier changes, but also built a sense of community and camaraderie among their colleagues that wasn't there before. Core elements of this model have been adopted in citywide fitness programs. Discussion: Schools play an important role in obesity interventions for both children and adults, and staff wellness programs in schools have the potential to enhance other wellness initiatives in schools.