Think Global, Act Local: Community Wellness Programs Have A Big Impact
By Rajiv Kumar, M.D. on Jan 23, 2012 – 0 Comments
Six years ago, while studying in medical school, I was inspired by my patients to start a small project to help Rhode Islanders exercise, improve their diet, lose weight and live healthier lifestyles. That project became known as Shape Up Rhode Island, a non-profit that I continue to lead today. Over the past six years, Shape Up RI has engaged nearly 10% of the adult population in Rhode Island (70,000 individuals) and empowered them to achieve clinically significant weight loss outcomes. What’s more exciting is what this program came to be: a statewide movement, led by hundreds of local employers and our state’s largest health insurance company, that has created a culture of wellness in Rhode Island and led to our distinction by the Wellness Council of America as the first Well State in the nation. The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services even decided to profile how we did it to help others understand the key ingredients for successful community wellness innovation.
Having seen firsthand the positive and lasting impact that a community wellness program can have on a local population, I’m a strong supporter of similar initiatives across the country. That’s why I’m so pleased to announce that ShapeUp is now powering the technology behind the Bizically Fit Challenge, a successful community wellness program run by the Alliance for a Healthier Minnesota. Like Shape Up RI, this program represents a coalition of local employers and health plans (BlueCross BlueShield of Minnesota, Cargill, Medica, Midwest Dairy Council, Target, and the Minnesota Department of Health) who have joined together not only to improve the health of their own employees but also to promote wellness throughout the entire state of Minnesota. That’s why they’ve generously made the program available, for free, to any Minnesota resident who wants to join. The Alliance believes that “employers can drive true healthcare reform through health and wellness campaigns, and in working together for the common good” and that “healthier communities will make for healthier people, healthier corporations and healthier economies.” All of us at ShapeUp couldn’t agree more, which is why we are proud to be a partner in this endeavor.
Obesity is a global pandemic, but rather than focusing all of our efforts on macro solutions, I believe we should channel our energies into locally relevant initiatives that are designed to meet the wants and needs of communities. That’s why we enthusiastically support the Alliance for a Healthier Minnesota and applaud similar efforts underway in other states across America.
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