On October 24th, Health and Human Services Secretary Mike Leavitt honored the 2005 Innovation in Prevention award winners. The following are highlights of the ten awardees.

The Healthy Living Program (HLP) at the University of Rochester (NY) Medical Center promotes healthy behaviors to prevent or delay complications and disability from chronic disease using interactive means to promote and encourage physical activity and improved health. Modeled after the Chronic Disease Self-Management Program at Stanford University, participants are recruited through area churches. During the 12-week program, participants meet twice a week for 90 minutes for a physical activity class and overall discussion period on health with peer counselors. Counselors help participants identify community resources that will help them continue to be physically active after the program ends.

Provena St. Mary’s Wellness Center in Kankakee, IL partners with local organizations to provide fitness and general inclusion activities to individuals with disabilities. Groups of 6-15 individuals meet twice a week for 45 minutes of fitness instruction at the wellness center. The twice-weekly sessions include cardiovascular and resistance/strength training exercises.

Excellus Blue Cross Blue Shield in Rochester (NY) launched the Step Up program in 2004. The community-wide initiative is a web-based challenge to encourage physical activity and healthier eating among area residents. A program kit for worksites is also available. Worksites can challenge one another or hold an in-house challenge to improve physical activity and nutrition through the program’s web-based tracking feature.

MFit is the University of Michigan Health System’s employee wellness program. The program focuses on a variety of prevention areas including smoking cessation, stress management, as well as physical activity and nutrition. To support physical activity and healthy eating, MFit launched the Healthy Workforce Initiative. The initiative includes an intensive communication campaign called “Taking Care of Our Own,” the “Physical Activity for Life Charity Challenge,” a competitive program that raises money for charity, a “Super-Size Me” seminar promoting the importance of portion sizes and making healthier food choices, a 12-week weight management incentive program, and an “Ask the Experts” service that allows employees to email with MFit dieticians, exercise and behavior change specialists. The program also enjoys support from all levels of management, a key to ensuring employee interest and participation.

The Schupan Health Awareness Program for Employees (SHAPE) is a multifaceted healthy lifestyle promotion program at Schupan & Sons, a metal recycling company based in Kalamazoo, MI. Health risk assessments, free flu shots, and reimbursements for smoking cessation programs, health club memberships or exercise equipment, and weight-loss programs are components of SHAPE. The program was also recognized by the Michigan Governor’s Council on Physical Fitness, Health, and Sports as a Healthy Workplace in 2004.

Enhance Fitness is a program offered by Senior Services of Seattle/King County (WA). Started as the Lifetime Fitness Program © (LFP) in 1993 at a senior center in King County, the program was a success and twelve years later it is offered in 82 sites across the country. LFP uses a social ecological model, encouraging not only physical activity, but also social interaction among normally sedentary older adults. The program is designed to be taught by individuals working in parks departments, senior centers, and commercial gyms. Participants of the program have experienced physical gains in measures of strength and cardiovascular endurance as well as reduced levels of depression.

The Arkansas School BMI Assessment Project was charged with taking a uniform and reliable BMI measurement of every public school student in Arkansas. This multi-year project included the distribution of a Child Health Report to parents detailing BMI classifications and the health risks associated with overweight and obesity. To date, nearly 443,000 students have been assessed. A formal state report will help track progress over time and identify areas within the state that need more assistance to reduce increasing rates of overweight and obesity.

Eat and Play the Native Way provides physical activity and nutrition education to students in grades K-3 at Navajo reservation schools in Coconino County (AZ). The program is finalizing a physical activity and nutrition curriculum that is related to the Native American culture and includes traditional Native American games. The lessons that are a part of the curriculum are intended to help children understand the importance of being active and eating well in the Native American culture.

Fun 5 is an after school program promoting five days of activity per week and the consumption of five fruits and vegetables per day to Hawaiian children participating in the Hawaii Department of Education’s (HI DOE) after school program. Fun 5 began as a partnership between the HI DOE, BCBS of Hawaii, and the University of Hawaii. Site coordinators attended a training and received sports and activity equipment. Fun 5 is guided by the Sports, Play, and Active Recreation for Kids (SPARK) Active Recreation program promoting non-competitive, non-gender specific physical activities that children of all skill levels can enjoy. Reports from the pilot program indicated a significant increase in leisure time moderate activity among the program’s participants.

Delta HOPE (Health Options for People through Extension) uses creative messaging and characters to promote lifelong healthy behaviors to school children in the Delta Regions of Mississippi, Louisiana, and Arkansas. The classroom-based intervention uses the OrganWise Guys to teach children about physiology and nutrition and encourages short bouts of physical activity integrated into academic lessons using TAKE 10!. In 2005, HOPE received a Gold rating from the Cooper Institute for the program’s potential to help reduce childhood obesity. (No website available for Delta HOPE).