In 2010, Health Partners launched PowerUp to help reduce childhood obesity through community partnerships and programs promoting healthy eating and active lifestyles. PowerUp aims to positively influence children, families, and communities. It provides resources and messaging around eating fruits and vegetables, limiting screen time, and engaging in active play. Childhood obesity has more than doubled, with both immediate and long term health risks. PowerUp has reached over 20,000 children and families through school and community events. Evaluation shows changes to foods offered and physical activities at schools.

1. Presented by: Cheryl Champine
Jacksonville University
NUR 512
PowerUp

2.  In 2010, Health Partners decided to target non-clinical
community health factors as part of its strategic plan.
 The strategy included:
 Partnerships
 Focus on obesity and lifestyle
 Changing a culture
 Engage the community
 Create programs
 Support clinical interventions
 PowerUp was created as an
effort to help reduce childhood obesity.
(Health Partners, 2014).
PowerUp

3.  Objectives of PowerUp:
 Positively reaching out to encourage healthy eating and active environments
 Be strategic
 Build on what is already working
 Innovate and discover new approaches
 Create positive partnerships
 How can you PowerUp:
 Eat five fruits, roots, and vegetables daily
 Four colors or more on your plate
 Eat three meals daily
 Engage in two hours or less of screen time
 Engage in at least one hour of play daily
 Consume 0 sugary drinks
(Health Partners, 2016)
PowerUp

4.  Childhood obesity has more than doubled in children and
quadrupled in adolescents.
 Overweight:
 Having an excess body weight for specific height
 Obesity:
 Having excess body fat
 In 2011-2012 obesity was seen:
 20.5% adolescents
 17.7% children age six to eleven years
 8.4% children age two to five years
(The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2015).
Childhood Obesity

5.  Immediate health effects:
 Cardiovascular disease
 High blood pressure
 High cholesterol
 Pre-diabetes
 Bone and joint problems
 Sleep apnea
 Social and psychological problems
 Long term effects:
 Increase the risk of health problems
 Increase risk for many types of cancer
(The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2015)
Childhood Obesity

6.  Misconceptions:
 Only have themselves to blame
 Self-indulgent
 Weak-willed
 Heredity plays a key role in metabolism.
 Organic factors also play a key role. Examples
include:
 Insulin resistance
 Low leptin levels
 Chromosomal and endocrine abnormalities
(American Academy of Pediatrics, 2015)
Childhood Obesity

7.  Is at high risk for teasing and/or bullying.
 Over time causes an emotional strain and self esteem.
 Bullied children are more likely to skip going to class or
drop out of school.
(American Academy of Pediatrics, 2015).
Childhood Obesity

8.  The PowerUp message has reached more than 20,000
children, families, and adults.
 PowerUp presence has extended to more than 15,000
families and children.
 Website traffic and Facebook views have exceeded 1,000
hits.
 More than 6,000 unique visitors.
 Open-gym events.
 PowerUp pledge.
 yumPower.
 BearPower.
(Health Partners, 2014)
Monitoring Program Outcomes

9.  20,000 kids participated in a school challenge.
 Changes made to what students eat, drink, and do at school.
 Developed a training manual.
 Improved concessions sold at athletic events.
 Partnered with school carnivals.
 Opportunity for low-income families.
(Health Partners, 2014)
Desired Change?

10.  Chomp, a giant carrot super hero.
 Accessible, fun, and friendly messaging.
 Market strategies.
 The name, logo, visual appearance, and key messages.
 yumPower vending machines.
 Prescriptions for fruits and vegetables.
 yumPower text messages.
 yumPower app.
(Health Partners, 2014)
Sustainability

11. Funding Accountability
 Health Partners and Lakeview Health each contribute 50%
 Lakeview Hospital Foundation
Revising Program Interventions
 Data from 2010 and 2013 Minnesota Student Survey
 Data rates
 Tracking of body mass index (BMI)
Providing Information
 Marketing
(Health Partners, 2014)
Accountability in
Program Evaluation

12. Unintended Effects
 None documented for this program
Accreditation
 Not documented.
 Research illustrates nutrition and exercise behaviors
develop during early childhood. PowerUp focuses on
children ages three to eleven years. To influence a
cultural change, the program reaches out to children,
parents, and adult “influencers”.
(Health Partners, 2014)
Accountability in
Program Evaluation

13. Power Up

14. References
 American Academy of Pediatrics. (2015). Organic causes of weight gain and
obesity. Retrieved from https://www.healthychildren.org/English/health-
issues/conditions/obesity/Pages/Organic-Causes-of-Weight-Gain-and-
Obesity.aspx
 American Academy of Pediatrics. (2015). Teasing and bullying of obese and
overweight children: How parents can help. Retrieved from
https://www.healthychildren.org/English/health-
issues/conditions/obesity/pages/Teasing-and-Bullying.aspx
 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2015). Childhood obesity facts.
Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/healthyschools/obesity/facts.htm
 Health Partners. (2014, February). Building healthier communities: Health
Partners. Retrieved from http://www.achp.org/wp-content/uploads/Member-
Innovation-Profile-PowerUp-at-HealthPartnersl.pdf
 Lakeview Health Foundation. (2015). About power up. Retrieved from
http://www.powerup4kids.org/about