HOUSTON, Feb 16, 2012 (BUSINESS WIRE) ?
?Participating children can take part in an innovative program that measures
the potential benefits of computer-based gaming, using Xbox(R) Kinect(R), when
combined with a weight-management program
UnitedHealth Group is collaborating with Fort Bend Independent School District
(ISD) on a 12-month program designed to help kids who struggle with extra weight
reach healthier weights and reduce the risk of many related health concerns.
JOIN for ME(SM) ? a first-of-its-kind community based, whole-family program to
fight childhood obesity ? is being offered to more than 30 families in four
Fort Bend ISD elementary schools. The program is offered in conjunction with
Activate for Kids, a school wellness initiative developed by UnitedHealthcare
and United Health Foundation in partnership with Fort Bend ISD.
Children in the Fort Bend JOIN for ME program will also have the option to take
part in an innovative program that measures the potential impact of
computer-based gaming, using Xbox(R) Kinect(R), on physical activity levels and
weight outcomes when combined with a childhood weight management program.
?We are excited about the potential benefits of the JOIN for ME program for our
students,? said Bob Conlon, Ph.D., director of student support services at Fort
Bend ISD. ?Our District School Health Advisory Council has set a goal of
reducing childhood obesity in Fort Bend ISD, and JOIN for ME is a very strong
component of a comprehensive effort to accomplish that goal.
?We know from research that students? health affects their academic performance.
That?s why we need to do all we can to make sure our students make healthy
choices. The partnership with UnitedHealth Group has been so helpful to our
efforts, especially bringing a proven program like JOIN for ME to the district,?
said Conlon.
JOIN for ME engages kids who struggle with extra weight, along with their
parents, in a series of group sessions to help them lose weight through
healthier family food choices, increased activity and lifestyle improvement.
Each session includes group support, learning practical strategies and
implementing change in a family?s everyday life through a program called
?Connect? ?Learn? ?Go!? JOIN for ME emphasizes a combination of whole-family
lifestyle and behavior change delivered in 16 weekly sessions followed by
monthly maintenance sessions for up to a year.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about a third of
all children in the United States are obese or overweight, leading to increased
health risks, higher health care costs and decreased parental productivity at
work. In the Houston metropolitan area, more than 36 percent of children ages 6
to 17 are overweight. Within this population, nearly 20 percent are obese.
Obesity in children raises risk factors for heart disease, high cholesterol and
high blood pressure.
?Children who struggle with extra weight are often motivated to change, but they
can?t do it alone. They must have the support and full involvement of their
families to make healthy eating and family-lifestyle choices that include
exercise,? said Deneen Vojta, M.D., senior vice president, UnitedHealth Center
for Health Reform Modernization. ?JOIN for ME is fun and practical, and can
easily be made available to the millions of families who struggle with childhood
obesity. We look forward to supporting the launch of this program in local
communities.?
JOIN for ME, was developed by UnitedHealth Group together with a scientific
advisory board, including Gary Foster from Temple University. In the original
proof-of-concept study, JOIN for ME partnered with the YMCA of the USA and the
YMCA of Greater Providence, R.I. The study demonstrated that the combination of
whole-family engagement helped participants achieve significant reductions in
extra weight. After six months, 84 percent of the 155 participants completed the
full program and achieved, on average, a 3.5-percent reduction in extra weight.
Equally promising is that parents of participants also lost weight in the study,
opening the door for new wellness models that engage the entire family.
UnitedHealth Group is currently working with community-based partners to plan
the national expansion of the program, and several customers have signed on
already, including the State of Texas for its Medicaid program.
About Fort Bend ISD Fort Bend Independent School District is the seventh largest
school district in the state of Texas and is located in Fort Bend County, which
is part of the greater Houston southwest area. With more than 69,000 students on
74 campuses, District teachers and administrators are committed to a holistic
approach in the education of each child. Fort Bend ISD?s mission is to provide
an environment for each student to acquire knowledge, develop skills, and build
character to lead a productive and responsible life. Recently, FBISD was honored
as the only school district in the nation to be named a 2011 National District
of Character. For more information, please visit our website at
www.fortbendisd.com.
About UnitedHealth Group UnitedHealth Group (NYSE: UNH) is a diversified health
and well-being company dedicated to helping people live healthier lives and
making health care work better. With headquarters in Minnetonka, Minn.,
UnitedHealth Group offers a broad spectrum of products and services through two
distinct platforms: UnitedHealthcare, which provides health care coverage and
benefits services; and Optum, which provides information and technology-enabled
health services. Through its businesses, UnitedHealth Group serves more than 75
million people worldwide. Visit www.unitedhealthgroup.com for more information.
XBOX and KINECT are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation. All rights
reserved. This news release is neither sponsored nor endorsed by Microsoft
Corporation.
FACT SHEET
How JOIN for ME Works
JOIN for ME is a 12-month community-based lifestyle improvement program for
generally healthy children between the ages of 6 and 17 who are overweight or
obese. Children and their families attend a series of 16 weekly, one-hour group
classes at local Ys, workplace facilities or other community locations.
Participants are introduced to evidence-based tools and strategies, as well as
incentives to adopt healthier habits that lead to lifelong healthier weight.
Sessions are led by a trained facilitator and cover topics such as reducing less
healthy foods and drinks, getting and staying active, managing screen time,
improving sleep habits, and understanding the link between moods and foods.
After 16 weeks, participants are encouraged to attend monthly maintenance
sessions for an additional eight months.
The JOIN for ME pilot was designed to provide affordable and accessible care in
local communities, similar to UnitedHealth Group?s efforts to provide access to
the evidence-based Diabetes Prevention Program that was developed from the
National Diabetes Prevention Program curriculum, which helps people with
prediabetes reduce their risk of developing full-blown diabetes. JOIN for ME can
be offered as a workplace wellness program included in a company?s health
benefit package. Different from most workplace wellness initiatives, JOIN for ME
focuses on improving the health of the entire family, underscoring the
importance of social structures in lifestyle modification and behavior change.
The JOIN for ME program is designed to be a covered benefit for participants
enrolled through employer-provided health insurance plans or
government-sponsored Medicaid managed care plans through UnitedHealthcare in
select markets. This means dependents of eligible employees or beneficiaries
will have access to a community-based program to help them achieve healthier
weight, while the employers or plan sponsors will be supporting better health
for participating families, leading to lower health care costs due to fewer
doctor and hospital visits. At-risk children will be identified and referred for
support through multiple channels such as primary care providers, school nurses,
community health centers, school educators and the Y, as well as through
UnitedHealth Group?s database and analytics tools.
JOIN for ME is one of many UnitedHealth Group programs and services that fight
diabetes, prediabetes, obesity and related health problems in creative,
practical ways to help improve health care quality, expand support and coverage,
and help bend the cost curve. Click here for more resources.
SOURCE: UnitedHealth Group
CONTACT:
UnitedHealthcare
Kim Whitaker
469-633-8536
kim_t_whitaker@uhc.com
or
Fort Bend Independent School District
Stacey Crews
281-634-1108
stacey.crews@fortbendisd.com
Copyright Business Wire 2012
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KEYWORD: United States
North America
Minnesota
Texas
INDUSTRY KEYWORD: Education
Primary/Secondary
Entertainment
Electronic Games
Technology
Consumer Electronics
Health
Cardiology
Fitness Nutrition
Professional Services
Children
Insurance
Teens
Diabetes
Consumer
Family
General Health
Managed Care
SUBJECT CODE: Contract/Agreement
Product/Service
Article source: http://www.cnbc.com/id/46412756/UnitedHealth_Group_and_Fort_Bend_Independent_School_District_Launch_JOIN_for_ME_Program_to_Fight_Childhood_Obesity_Evidence_based_wellness_program_emphasizes_whole_family_lifestyle_improvement
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