Office on Women’s Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

www.womenshealth.gov/bodyworks

Background

• Parents and caregivers play an important role in shaping the nutrition and physical activity patterns of their children

• Children and adolescents are less likely to be overweight or obese if their parents maintain a healthy weight

• Parent participation in childhood obesity prevention programs has been shown to have a positive effect on program success

BodyWorks Program

Purpose: • To provide parents/caregivers with tools &

strategies to improve family eating and activity habits

• To support adolescent boys and girls in reaching and maintaining a healthy weight

• To prevent obesity among adolescent boys and girls

Primary audience• Parents and caregivers

of adolescent boys and girls

Secondary audiences• Adolescent boys and

girls• Other family members

MAIN MESSAGES

Healthy teens become strong adults

MAIN MESSAGES

Parents are an important influence on their children’s eating and activity habits

MAIN MESSAGES

Change takes time — begin by taking a few small steps

BodyWorks

• HHS’ developed parent-focused program after two years of formative research

• Introduced in 2006• Led by trained facilitators• Ten parent-focused sessions, 90 minutes each• Girls/boys come to two sessions with

parents/caregivers

Community-Based Approach to Distribution

• Trainers are trained in one-day small group sessions to: – Promote the program– Recruit parents and

caregivers– Facilitate 10-session

program with parents and caregivers

– Train others to be trainers

Office on Women’s Health

10 OWH Regional Offices

Community-based organizations, health professionals,

hospitals/clinics, faith-based organizations, and other non-

profits

Parents/Caregivers

Teens Families

States with BodyWorks Trainers

Partners and Collaborators

• Action for Healthy Kids• Alliance for a Healthier

Generation• American Association of

Family and Consumer Sciences

• BCBS of Michigan (Building Healthy Communities)

• General Mills Foundation and Community Action Plan

• GirlTrek• Latino Health Access

• National Association for Health & Fitness

• National Association for Health Education Centers

• National Coalition for Promoting Physical Activity

• Obesity Action Coalition• Seattle BodyWorks Coalition• U.S. Mexico Border Health

Commission• Virginia Department of Health

(CHAMPION)

Program Components

Parents/families

1. BodyBasics (Parent’s Guide)

2. Food and Fitness Journals

3. Weekly Planner (magnet)

4. Recipe Book

5. Shopping List

6. DVD on Shopping & Cooking

Boys/Girls

1. For Teens and For Guys

Magazines

2. Food and Fitness Diary

BodyBasics/FundamentosFormat: • Magazine style

publication for visual appeal

Purpose: • Provides health

information, strategies for healthy eating and regular physical activity

• Explains how to use the toolkit

• Lists resources for families

Food and Fitness Journals/Diario de Comidas Y Actividades Fisicas•Family members to record meals, snacks, activities, and emotions to identify eating and activity habits

•Checklist in BodyBasics helps parents review journal entries

•Goal-setting chart in diaries

Recipe Book/ Platillos Latinos

Purpose:• To provide

families with easy, low-cost recipes for meals and snacks

• To reinforce nutrition and cooking information featured in BodyBasics

Weekly Planner/Plantificador Seminal

Format: • Refrigerator magnet

write-on/wipe-off board with pen

Purpose: • To help parents/

caregivers plan meals, snacks, physical activities

Shopping List/Lista de Compras

Format: • Pad with checklists

Purpose: • To help parents/

caregivers plan shopping trips and choose healthier options

BodyWorks For Teens and For Guys

• Magazine-style publications for girls and boys (9 to 14)

Publication content

• Self-assessments, quizzes, games, interviews

• Goal-setting tools

• Teen writers/illustrators

Formative research

• Literature review

• Health behavior change theory

• Focus groups

Train-the-Trainers Guide • One day training• Appendices

- A. Training Tips- B. Behavior Change- C. Resources

Training Manual for Parents • Lesson plans for 10

sessions• Behavior Change• Healthy Eating• Physical Activity• Setting Goals and meal

planning• Shopping for meals• Advocacy• Media Influences

For Guys Training Guide Addendum

• Background• Including Boys & Girls in BodyWorks

Sessions• Tips for Facilitating BodyWorks & Boys• Assessing Parenting Styles• Websites: Teens’ Health & Behavior• Your Teens & Stress• Reading List for Parents• Suggested Websites for Parents with Boys• Media & Boys: What Parents Can Do• Emotional Eating Case Study• Screen Time Case Study• Your Environment• Websites For Guys with Ads• Key Areas of Adolescent Development &

Learning

BodyWorks Program Support

• Bodyworks Web site– www.womenshealth.gov/bodyworks

• Find trainers, trainings, programs• Planning and promotion tools for trainers

• BodyWorks Listserv– Self-subscribed, moderated

• Update Newsletter– Quarterly

BodyWorks Program Support

• Technical Assistance– One-on-one follow up with new trainers– New trainer orientation packet– Program planning assistance– Regional trainer conference calls– Regional Trainer Advisory Panel– BodyWorks@hagersharp.com - public inquiry

National BodyWorks Evaluation Objectives

• Evaluate impact on knowledge, awareness, attitudes, and practices of parents and girls regarding nutrition and physical activity

• Determine the most effective strategies for successful implementation of BodyWorks

Key Findings

• BodyWorks significantly changed parent intentions, motivation, and immediate behavior.

• Girls responded positively to their parents/caregivers’ participation in BodyWorks.

• Once enrolled in the 10 session program, 70 % of parents stayed for the full program. We are continuing to increase the number of parents taught.

• BodyWorks led to an initial, effective train-the-trainer process; it was more effective in recruiting other trainers than in recruiting parents/caregivers.

 

National BodyWorks Evaluation Disseminating the Results

• Final Report complete• Executive Summary distributed

– BodyWorks Trainers– Partners– Steering Committee– Federal partners

• Results disseminated at conferences & exhibits

Questions?

Bodyworks@hagersharp.com