Significantly Improving Overall Health through Increased Health Literacy: The Canyon Ranch Institute Life Enhancement Program (CRI LEP)

Results from the Canyon Ranch Institute Life Enhancement Program (CRI LEP), a program aimed at low-income adults in New York, Ohio, Missouri, and Arizona, demonstrate that a health literacy, integrative health approach to preventing chronic disease can have significant and positive impacts on overall health and wellness. The CRI LEP includes 36 hours of participatory, hands-on, and didactic group sessions, fitness instruction, cooking demonstrations, social support, a nutritionist-guided grocery store trip, and extensive evaluation. Every participant receives at least four one-hour one-on-one planning consultations with health professionals in integrative health, nutrition, fitness, and behavioral health. Data collection occurs at pre, post, three months post, one year post, and process evaluation stages, including nutrition, physical fitness, stress, and a serum analysis that included cholesterol, hemoglobin AIC, and C-reactive protein. Evaluation results of four cohorts (N=57) show changes in health metrics that contribute to chronic disease, including: reduction of 56% in depression scores, 44% in stress, 33% in cholesterol; increase of 23% in self-efficacy scores for exercise and nutrition, 67% in the number of mentally and physically healthy days in the previous month, 58% in pushups, and 32% in balance. Potential savings of $5,200 per participant is created, compared to the current annual average cost of treating chronic disease in the United States. Evaluation and programming is ongoing, the most up-to-date data available from all locations will be included. This presentation will demonstrate how health literacy and an integrative health approach help people gain better overall health and wellness.