From the First Lady of the United States to the NFL, everyone seems to be focused on the fight against childhood obesity. Baylor Health Care System’s Diabetes Health and Wellness Institute (DHWI) in Southern Dallas has responded to this growing epidemic as well, through Project F.U.N. – Families Understanding Nutrition – a yearlong health and wellness initiative focusing on children between the ages of six and 11 who are at-risk for obesity.
This Saturday, Nov. 17, Project F.U.N. will host a special graduation ceremony for the 174 children who successfully completed the program, from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. at the DHWI (4500 Spring Ave., Dallas, 75210). Community, business and civic leaders will be on hand to celebrate the accomplishments of the children and their families. At the event, each child also will receive a free bike and helmet as a reward for completing the 12-month program. Each child will receive a Project F.U.N. TM certificate of participation and safety helmets from “Hard Hats for Little Heads”, a program of the Texas Medical Association.
DHWI conducted Project F.U.N. in conjunction with AMERIGROUP Community Care, a Medicaid managed care program, and had several other community partners. The program offered health and wellness activities each month, such as nutrition assessments, customized care plans, access to physical activity programs, cooking classes, health coaching and access to DHWI’s low-cost weekly farmer’s market. To graduate, participants had to complete at least four activities over the course of the year.
“Project F.U.N. targeted the amount of sugary drinks like soda and artificial juice kids intake, as well as how much time they spend in front of the television and other technology,” explains Teirney Johnson, DHWI project manager. “We wanted to enhance the amount of vegetables the kids ate and the amount of fitness activities they participated in outside of school.”
In addition to receiving a bike upon completing Project F.U.N., each month participants received $30 toward the extracurricular activity of their choice as long as it included an exercise component. They also received sporting goods and exercise equipment throughout the year.
“What we found by the end of the program was that many of the kids either lost weight or lost inches off their waist or at least made significant lifestyle changes,” says Johnson. “And that’s certainly cause for celebration.”
About DHWI
The Diabetes Health and Wellness Institute is the area’s first and only diabetes health and wellness facility addressing the region’s health care needs relative to diabetes. A partnership between Baylor Health Care System and the City of Dallas, the institute’s goal is to weave diabetes prevention into the fabric of the community so that it is a natural and convenient part of life in the neighborhood. The mission: To improve the care and save lives of people with diabetes through a new care model focused on health care, education and research. The Institute offers an on-site physician and nurse practitioner, medical specialists, referral coordinators, diabetes educators, clinical nurse specialists in diabetes, access to affordable diabetes medications, nutrition and lifestyle counseling, exercise programs.
Media Contact:
Julie Smith
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About Baylor Scott & White Health
As the largest not-for-profit health system in the state of Texas, Baylor Scott & White promotes the health and well-being of every individual, family and community it serves. It is committed to making quality care more accessible, convenient and affordable through its integrated delivery network, which includes the Baylor Scott & White Health Plan, Baylor Scott & White Research Institute, the Baylor Scott & White Quality Alliance and its leading digital health platform – MyBSWHealth. Through 51 hospitals and more than 1,200 access points, including flagship academic medical centers in Dallas, Fort Worth and Temple, the system offers the full continuum of care, from primary to award-winning specialty care. Founded as a Christian ministry of healing more than a century ago, Baylor Scott & White today serves more than three million Texans. For more information, visit: BSWHealth.com