Oral

Purpose: This session will illustrate the essential lessons learned from the implementation of three Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Division of Healthy Start and Perinatal Services (DHSPS) Innovative Approaches to Promoting Healthy Weight in Women demonstration grants. The DHSPS focuses on improving the health of women across the lifespan. These grants were aimed at increasing the number of women who adopt positive healthy lifestyles, thereby reducing the proportion of women who enter pregnancy either overweight or obese. This session will inform public health practitioners about best practices for developing, implementing, and sustaining creative, tailored, culturally-relevant programs aimed at promoting a healthy weight in women, specifically women of childbearing age. The learning objectives for this session are outlined below. Relevance and importance of proposed session: The increasing prevalence of overweight and obesity among adults, and especially among women of childbearing age, is of growing public health concern in the United States. Currently, 1 in 5 women are obese at the beginning of pregnancy (Siega-Ritz & Laraia, 2006). A BMI above the normal range of 19.8 to 26.1 is associated with a number of adverse reproductive health outcomes for both a woman and her child. Although prevention of maternal obesity is ideal, effective weight loss and weight management interventions for those who are already obese can reduce the prevalence among high-risk populations (Collins, et. al., 2006). Beginning in 2004, DHSPS funded 14 Innovative Approaches to Promoting Healthy Weight in Women grantees to develop creative, innovative and sustainable approaches to increase the number of women who adopt positive healthy lifestyles and thereby reduce the incidence and prevalence of overweight and obesity. Based on the type of intervention, geographic location, and diversity of population served, 3 of these 14 grantee sites have been selected to present their programs, discuss the challenges to implementation and describe the successes achieved. One grantee program obtained a moderate evidence rating of effectiveness from the Agency for Health Care Research and Quality (AHRQ); another grantee was certified as a Promising Practice by the Association of Maternal & Child Health Programs.

Session Objectives: 1. Describe innovative approaches for community programs that address overweight and obesity among women, specifically women of childbearing age. 2. Identify barriers and facilitators to the success of community-based Healthy Weight programs. 3. Discuss recommendations for addressing challenges and achieving success in similar programs aimed at reducing the detrimental effects of overweight and obesity across the lifespan.

CE Credits: Medical (CME), Health Education (CHES), Nursing (CNE), Public Health (CPH) , Masters Certified Health Education Specialist (MCHES)