HIP Kids: A Program to help fight childhood obesity

meferretti

I run a program at a local YMCA called H.I.P. Kids. It stands for Health Intervention Program for Kids and is designed to help children ages 8 and above and their families live healthier lifestyles. The class meets twice a week for 12 weeks and includes (2) 30 minute exercise sessions per week led by an exercise specialist, (1) 30 minute behavior modification group discussion per week led by an exercise specialist, (1) 30 minute parent only nutrition session per week led by a licensed, registered dietician and (1) 30 minute parent/child nutrition session.

What I don't understand is how come I am having so much trouble getting people to register for it? I have been running this class for 1 1/2 years and I have had about 17 kids go through the program. Although I am very happy having helped 17 families I find it hard to believe that there aren't more parents registering their children. There are so many kids ot there who are over weight and could benefit from this program. The kids who have gone thought it have great success. By the end they have better self-esteem, more confidence, more energy, more stamina, and double, even tripple the amount of sit ups and push ups than they did at the beginning of the program. Some of them have lowered their blood pressure and say their clothing fits better. They learn how to read food labels and make better food choices and become more active. So if so many kids are over weight, why is it so hard to find parents willing to make the committment? They can't blame it on the cost because we have scholarships for people who cannot afford the price and in some cases it is even covered by insurance.

Does anyone have any ideas for how I can increase participation? The class currently meets on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 6:30-7:30pm. Is the time too late? Too early? Do you think having the parents come in once a week for 12 weeks is too much? Any ideas would be greatly appreciated. I am very eagar to help as many families as I can. The amount of kids who are classifies as overweight or obese has tripled in the last 30 years. I hate to think what will happen to those children, and the ones who have yet to be born, over the next 30 years without help.

VballLeash

How are you advertising for this? The parents at the ymca already have a gym membership so have most likely made a change. I don't think the time is too late but I know a lot of people don't want to go anywhere after work... maybe make one of the days on the weekends like on a Sunday evening or Saturday morning or maybe decrease it to once a week but make it 2 hours so then its only one day out of their week, it sounds like a GREAT program, I hope it picks up!

~Leash

meferretti

Hi Leash,
I advertise in our program brochure which is distributed to all of our members (about 12,000 people). I have signs and brochures around our YMCA. I have brochures at local businesses including, pediatricians, hospital, library, etc. I have met with a local pediatrician to ask them to promote it to families who could use it. I send info to the local elementary school nurses to send home to parents, I tried holding a seminar at the local library but we had 1 person show up, I had (2) 30 minute spots on a local television channel. Granted, I did most of this nt eh beginning and haven't really kep all of this up, but even then we didn't have that many participants. Everyone I talk to about this program says it sounds like a great program but getting parents to register their kids is still an issue. I was thinking of making it 1 day a week instead and not having the parents be there every week. The local health foundation and Penn State University are developing a similar program to be held at the schools so the kids are already there, however they are ony offering it to kids in grades 3-5. I wish schools would run classes like these. Isn't that where kids are supposed to get their education? Health and wellness are key components that need to be addressed more seriously.

Thanks for your suggestions.

VballLeash

Well it sounds like you are advertising well, especially by going to pediatricians; they should push it on some of their patients I would think, don't give up cause it can benefit a lot of people, I'm sure Penn state is a competition but there are soo many families that can benefit.

~Leash

meferretti

I honestly don't mind PSU and our local community health foundation running a program that might eventually compete with ours as all I want is for families to get the help they need. Whether that is from our program or another, I will be happy.

Thanks.

Mamakatspokane

It sounds great and seriously amazing. If you have a local Boys & Girls Club you could advertise there... I think the Peditricians was an awesome idea. Continue working closely with the local schools. Get to know the teachers of the kids in the age range your looking at helping. Keep yourself in view so they will be thinking of your program.

Here's a thought of why parents wouldn't sign up....if they admit that they are not in fact raising healthy children then they have to admit that they themselves aren't heathly (more than likely). Also parents are very sensitive sometimes and don't like to admit failure or have anyone tell them how to raise their kids (even if it's helpful). I'm not saying either of these things are right but it's what I experienced when I worked with kids. Like I said just thought and I'm not sure how to get parents to overcome that.....

exermom

My initial guess would be that not only would the parents enrolling their children be an admission that they need help, but also by enrolling their children, it would mean that THEY'D also have to make a change. The saying is "old habits die hard" and they may be afraid of failing and returning to unhealthy habits.

I remember when I worked at the Y, most of the families who were enrolled were struggling, which translates into the fact that they'll buy less expensive (and for the most part less healthy) foods. Isn't there an added fee for this class? (I seem to remember one when I worked at the Y). If a family is struggling, they probably don't want to spend the extra money, the gym membership is enough. Or they can't afford to spend the extra money.

I think you need to have the parents there every week. This class is for the whole family, not just the children.

How about as part of the class, one day you go to the local grocery store and point out which brands of foods are better. As we all know, many times manufacturers will market something as "healthy" when in fact it really isn't.

mmtiernan

I wonder if you'd have better luck making this more an "after school" program. I'm a single parent and those times would not work well because you'd need to bring your child home, hustle through school work, feed them, then take them back out to this program. Far easier to pick them up from school, take them to the program, then go home for dinner and remain home the rest of the evening to do school work, etc.

lawkat

Maybe you should have the kids that have gone through the program give a talk about how beneficial it was. Sometimes people need an example to follow. If parents see how much better the kids that went through the program are, it might motivate them to sign up their children.

However, some parents don't want their preaching to them in the grocery store about what foods are good and what foods are bad. That might be way they don't want to sign up their kids. They don't have the energy to deal with a mini food police.

meferretti

Those are all great ideas. Thank you for sharing.

We do have grant funding available for people who can't afford it. I did 2 TV spots on a local telelvision station, one of which I had a past participant and her mother talk about their experience. I spoke the other 15 minutes about the program. I think we should do that again:) I also think the parent should be there every week. Maybe I will try to shorten the program to 1 day a week and make it an earlier time but still have the parents come in.

We did get 2 more kids today so we have 3 this session. I am happy about that:)

Thanks everyone.