Utilizing the familiar, community-based locations of Dr. Walter Cunningham and Irving Elementary Schools in Waterloo, the Black Hawk County Health Department and its partners have removed barriers to access for the families who may benefit most from wellness interventions.
Initiated in 2005 as part of the Building Healthy Communities in Iowa through Harkin Wellness Grants Initiative, the Healthy Active Lifestyles program HAL’s Pals is a family-centered initiative aimed at addressing an alarming trend in childhood obesity and associated chronic diseases. The HAL’s Pals initiative was first offered in local schools in January 2006. The project draws more than 200 participants annually. Community collaborators include the Black Hawk County Health Department, Waterloo Community School District, Communities in Schools, YWCA of Black Hawk County, Family YMCA of Black Hawk County, Northeast Iowa Food Bank, Iowa State University Extension Services, and the University of Northern Iowa’s Project EXPORT and Youth Fitness & Obesity Institute
A recent Community Health Needs Assessment conducted by the Black Hawk County Health Department indicates that more than 43 percent of Black Hawk County residents are overweight or obese (2007), up from 35 percent in 2004. Among 2007 HAL’s Pals participants, 55 percent of children and adults began the program with a body mass index (BMI) above the 85th percentile, classifying them as either overweight or obese. The 90-minute, bi-weekly HAL’s Pals program seeks to reduce childhood obesity through behavior change, improved nutrition choices and family fitness exercises.
At each site, certified fitness professionals from the YMCA and YWCA provide fitness training and health-promotion activities two evenings per week throughout the academic year. Interactive nutrition education also is a key component, and the Northeast Iowa Food Bank offers nutrition education through its Kid’s Café Program at each site one evening per week. Pre- and post-program physical assessments occur to measure participant outcomes, and a questionnaire will be implemented in spring 2009 to assess changes in participant knowledge, attitudes and practices.
Irving Elementary, located at 1115 W. 5th Street, hosts sessions from 6-7:30 p.m. every Tuesday and Thursday. The Dr. Walter Cunningham School for Excellence, located at 1224 Mobile Street, hosts Tuesday and Thursday sessions from 5:45-7:15 p.m.
There is no cost to participate in program activities, which include health assessments, interactive nutrition education, healthy snacks, and comprehensive fitness for the whole family that incorporates stretching, cardio-vascular exercise, walking and strength training.
“Hal's Pals has changed the way I feed my children. My children now have an active role in what we eat in our household. I've learned better nutrition habits that will carry me through my life and the lives of others in my family,” says Vicki Cutsforth, an Irving participant since January 2006. “My kids love going to Hal's Pals. They think that they are having fun, and I know that they are getting exercise. Double benefit for our family.”
HAL’s Pals kicked off its spring session Jan. 6 and will be offered to all area residents through the end of May.
Charletta Sudduth, a Cunningham participant since 2006, said, “Once I saw my seven-year-old son and three-year-old daughter participating fully and my daughter with so much joy and laughter, I knew that this was the right thing to be doing. We can stop generational obesity.”
Information provided by Black Hawk County Health Department and Waterloo Community Schools. For more information, please contact: Rhonda Bottke, Schools, Outreach & Clinics Division Manager, Black Hawk County Health Department, 1407 Independence Avenue, 5th Floor, Waterloo, Iowa 50703. Email: rbottke@co.black-hawk.ia.us, Phone: 319-291-2413.
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