Lighten Up Iowa

Problem:
Iowa has the 11th highest overweight/obesity rate for adults in the nation and second highest in the region. Underlying causes of obesity are sedentary lifestyles and poor nutritional choices that cost over a billion dollars per year in health care costs for Iowans. Obesity has been linked to chronic illnesses such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, arthritis, diabetes and stroke. Locally, Trinity Regional Hospital found that of the 8 highest costing employee health illnesses, 5 out of the 8 related to obesity.

Response:
Lighten Up Iowa is a statewide effort sponsored by Iowa Games, The Iowa Department of Public Health and Iowa State University Extension to address this problem. County Extension offices have partnered with schools, local businesses, chambers, hospitals and Hy-Vee stores to promote and expand participation in the Lighten Up Iowa contest. Lighten Up Iowa encourages participants to be more physically active, eat healthier diets and lose weight if necessary by being part of a team that tracks activity and weight for 5 months. The contest motivates people to get started on healthy lifestyle practices that over a 5 month period can become lifestyle habits. By making it fun and a team effort, by providing local prizes and activities, participants are motivated to start and then continue their efforts.

In Webster County, a steering committee formed including representatives from Hy-Vee, Hospital, Extension FS and OA, and a Fitness Club to promote the contest as Lighten Up Fort Dodge offering monthly incentives, a “kick-off” breakfast, a mid-way “keep it going” event and an ending “fitness walk”. The steering committee promoted the contest to local employers, schools, and the general public through the media, by making presentations to groups, checking out the video to worksites, and by encouraging employers to pay half of the registration fee.

In Humboldt County Extension worked with the Chamber, Hospital, Public Health and wellness staff from various businesses to promote participation with a kick-off breakfast and monthly prizes.

In Greene County, after contact with Extension for displays and registration flyers, a local committee set up a kick-off event and promoted it through the hospital and fitness center.

After getting registration information to a Tama County fitness business, they promoted the registration of teams for LUI. A contact with Ellsworth Community College, led to a contact with an energetic Hy-Vee manager that worked with the hospital dietitian and chamber to get more involvement in Hardin County. I delivered video, registration forms, and grant applications to help them promote to potential participants.

Impact:
The results of partnering and helping communities promote Lighten Up Iowa resulted in increased participation in 2006. In Iowa, 19,231 participated in 2005 went up to 33,138 participants in 2006, losing 69 tons of weight and accumulated 5,122,833,988 miles of activity. In the counties that I was most active in promoting LUI the number of participants this year vs last year:

Webster County participation in Lighten Up Iowa has been building over the last 2 years going from 20 teams in 2004, to 84 teams in 2005 to 170 teams in 2006. In Webster County, 130 teams continued to report through the last month. That means 76% of teams continuing to report results throughout the contest! Over 100 participants attended the kick-off breakfast in January and 85 participants attended a “keep-it-going” event that had a Luau theme and encouraged fun activities with Jim Hallihan, director of Iowa Games, as speaker. We received several complimentary emails from participants that found the “keeping active” ideas to be fun and were motivated to keep their team going. The Fort Dodge steering committee, because of our effective partnership, was asked to be a part of the “Fit Nation” event filmed at ISU in March and presented on CNN in June.

The partnership and success of Lighten Up Iowa, locally, led to a partnership with the Hospital to write for and receive a Harkin grant which has led to more wellness activity partnerships in the community. Contacts and other wellness activities have increased with community partners in all other counties listed above, as well.

Contact:
Paulelda Gilbert
Nutrition & Health Field Specialist
108 S 8th Street, Fort Dodge, IA  50501
Phone 515-576-2119;  Fax:  515-576-6447
Email pgilbert@iastate.edu