Success Story

HAL's Pals

Problem:
In the Waterloo Community School District, 37% of all Caucasian and African American students exhibited Body Mass Index (BMI) measurements meeting the threshold for being considered overweight and obese. Research evidence indicates a high probability that at least one parent of an overweight or obese child is also likely to be overweight or obese.

Response:
With funding provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Building Healthy Communities in Iowa Through Harkin Wellness Grants through the Iowa Department of Public Health, a collaboration was formed between the Waterloo Community School District, Covenant Wellness Center Med Fit Program, Black Hawk County Health Department, Northease Iowa Food Bank, ISU Extension Service, Family YMCA of Black Hawk County, Allen Memorial Hospital, Communities in Schools and the UNI Project Export. Through this collaboration a program developed that helped bring to fruition two lighted school house buildings within the Waterloo School District. Twice weekly fitness and health programs were made available at two newly constructed elementary schools in Waterloo. At these two elementary schools, fitness stations were set up in the gymnasium and operated by staff from the YMCA twice a week throughout the five month second semester of the 2005-2006 school year. These sessions included guidance from trained staff on how to properly use the equipment at each station. Following the workout, a half hour health session was offered at the same location.

Wellness profiles and enrollment into the program started in early January 2006. Hal’s Pal’s ( Healthy Active Lifestyles) Fitness Fun for the Whole Family was marketed through parent letters and brochures sent home from the two elementary schools, media releases and posters posted around town. Planned activities included Health and Physical Fitness Screenings, Family Centered Activities, Physical Activity Education and Recreation, Nutrition Education, Tobacco Use, Prevention and Cessation, Arthritis Prevention and Intervention, Blood Pressure Checks, Oral Health Education.

ISU Extension provided 12 nutrition education sessions for HALS Pals (six at each school). The education sessions included information on MyPyramid, Healthy Snacks, fruit and vegetable sampling and publications from the Growing Up Healthy and Active series. Additionally, EFNEP Assistant Eva Hughes provided translation to Hispanic families wanting to participate in HAL’s Pals. As a result, 18 Spanish speaking families are enrolled in HAL’s Pals.

Impact:
At the end of the enrollment period, 176 had enrolled in HALS Pals. 82 Adults (47%), 94 children (53%), 121 females (69%) and 54 males (31%), and 43 Caucasian, 36 African American, 18 Hispanic, 3 Asian, 1 Native American.

Based on 152 recorded measurements, 21% are overweight, 38% are obese and 59% combined are overweight or obese. A diabetes risk score was also offered and found that, 51% have a diabetes risk score of 9 or less (low risk) and 49% have a diabetes risk score of 10 or more and are high risk.

Based on 11 sessions: