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CHALK Program Takes Top Honors for Poster Presentation at National Meeting of Children's Hospitals
Championing the Prevention of Childhood Obesity in Our Community
(Oct 29, 2009)
At the recent annual meeting of the National Association of Children's Hospitals and Related Institutions (NACHRI), Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital took top honors for Best Overall Poster Presentation for its submission on the CHALK Program. The poster was one of 50 presented at NACHRI's annual meeting. The CHALK (Choosing Healthy & Active Lifestyles for Kids) Program, funded with a five-year Center for Best Practices grant from the New York State Department of Health, was launched last year to prevent childhood obesity and the serious diseases that often accompany it.
Patricia Hametz, MD, MPH
Program Director, Choosing Healthy & Active Lifestyles for Kids (CHALK)
Stephanie Pitsirilos-Boquin, MPH
Program Manager, Choosing Healthy & Active Lifestyles for Kids (CHALK),
Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital
Learning Objectives
After viewing this poster attendees should be able to:
- Understand how to organize a coalition of community leaders and organizations to create an obesity prevention/healthy lifestyle promotion strategy
- Discover the many local, city and state resources available for helping communities adopt healthy lifestyles
- Know innovative methods to link community initiatives with institutional reform
Our hospital is located in an urban community with a population that is over 70 percent Latino, where nearly 40 percent of residents live below the federal poverty level, and 50% of children are overweight or obese. Last year, with a five-year Center for Best Practices grant from NY State's Department of Health, the hospital introduced Choosing Healthy & Active Lifestyles for Kids (CHALK). CHALK is implementing a culturally appropriate, community-wide obesity prevention and healthy lifestyle promotion strategy, mobilizing community-based resources and building community capacity.
Project DescriptionOur goals are to educate school-aged children 5 to 12 years old, their families, and their communities about long-term health benefits of good eating habits and being physically active, and to engage community organizations and local businesses and institutions in adopting principles and services that support our social marketing message.
CHALK has brought together an active, dedicated coalition of community leaders and organizations to form a task force to develop and implement a healthy lifestyle promotion strategy tailored to our community. This coalition created a culturally appropriate, family-based social marketing message: "Vive tu vida. Energia, Balance, Accíon/Live your life. Energy, Balance, Action."
CHALK also hosts a free weekly family fitness session at a local YM&YWHA. It also works with farmers' markets and citywide green initiatives to expand the community's access to healthy, fresh foods.
In addition, we are working with a multidisciplinary team and our Ambulatory Care Network to identify and evaluate best practices regarding obesity-related screening during well-care visits, healthy lifestyles counseling, and referrals for children at greatest risk.
Results/OutcomesCHALK has built community and institutional partnerships committed to reaching its goal. It has recruited over 30 community organizations (including 60 individuals) and has put healthy lifestyles promotion on the Hospital's agenda (e.g., posting health tips in public areas, labeling healthy snacks on vending machines, and installing bike racks for ambulatory care clinics).
After three months, our Take the Stairs sign campaign (using NYC Department of Health resources) has resulted in an increase in stair versus elevator usage. Fifty-four people attended the weekly Family Fitness Night at least once between November 2008 and February 2009 with an ongoing average class size of 35 participants (maximum capacity). Focus groups conducted of both children and parents in the community demonstrated wide acceptance and positive responses about the social marketing message. Criteria for groups and businesses to adopt the message have been developed.
The message will be disseminated throughout the community formally starting in October 2009, and is already being used in community outreach. A farmers' market linked to hospital resources opened in Fall 2009.
Lessons LearnedWithin the Hospital, CHALK found greater support for its healthy lifestyle initiatives by linking them with eco-sustainability efforts. In the community, real ownership of these initiatives is more likely to develop if strategies are community driven. And, finally, it is crucially important to pair our community work promoting healthy lifestyles with institutional initiatives towards these goals. This "ractice what we preach" strategy gives our initiatives more credibility in the community as it is strengthening our leadership role in preventive health care and works to increase resources in the community that support healthy living.
Future of Project/Next StepsThe task force has nearly finalized criteria for organizations’/businesses’ adoption of the message, and CHALK is ready to formally begin the social marketing campaign. The CHALK resource library will continue to expand and provide health promotion books and information as well as exercise equipment to staff who work in the community.
CHALK is working with NYC's Greenmarket and our local Community Board to establish a farmers' market on Hospital grounds, linked to the CHALK social marketing campaign and the Hospital's sustainability program. The market will offer on-site nutrition counseling, cooking demonstrations, and screenings.
By the end of this five-year grant period, CHALK envisions that it will become a Statewide model for healthy lifestyle promotion collaborations and initiatives.
