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Precision Valley Physical Activity and Nutrition Consortium
| Topics |
Health promotion and disease prevention
Wellness
Youth
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| States served |
Vermont
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| Description |
The Precision Valley Physical Activity and Nutrition Consortium will increase youth and family access to physical activities and increase opportunities for healthy food choices in Springfield and Windsor, Vermont. This will be accomplished through an interdisciplinary consortium that has put together a services network called the "30+5" Nutrition and Physical Activity Intervention. "30+5" is short for a recommendation to children and families to get at least 30 minutes of exercise and eat 5 fruits and vegetables daily. The target population is youth 10-13 and their parents.
Both rural farm communities share a past of machine tool manufacturing which is now only a shadow of what it was a decade ago. Consequently, unemployment is the second highest in the State. The rate of poverty among single-mother families is between 60-70 percent. Median family income is $6,000-$7,000 below the state median. Surveys including the 2003 Youth Risk Behavior Survey in Vermont show that, in Springfield, 15 percent of students are at risk of overweight and 13 percent are already overweight in grades 8-12. In Windsor, 17 percent of students in grades 8-12 are at risk of being overweight, and another 17 percent are already overweight. This target group was chosen because the consortium believes that youth represent the most sustainable, long-term potential for obesity-prevention efforts.
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| Services offered |
The intervention combines school nursing and primary care expertise and judgment in clinical assessment with varied community resources for referral. These practitioners will have more levels of service available. The intervention will consist of a brief message and an "action pack" full of information about how, when, and where to find exercise and better nutrition opportunities including family access to low-cost fruits and vegetables, nutrition classes, and structured recreation programs. For youth, active and fun informal sports programs will be increased through volunteer leaders and scholarships for memberships and fees. A second level of intervention consists of the "30+5" clinical dietitian consultant who will counsel youth and families with an emphasis on wellness and prevention using a community outreach model. All staff of the project as well as consortium members will be working together to increase education in the middle schools and the community about the importance of physical activity and nutrition.
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| Source |
Rural Health Outreach Grantee Directory, 2006
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| Contact person |
Nancy Lanoue, ME.Ed.
Southern Vermont Area Health Education Center
365 River Street
Springfield, Vermont 05156
Phone: (802) 885-2126
E-Mail: nlanoue@vermontel.net
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| Date added |
January 24, 2007 |
Summaries of success stories are provided by RAC for your convenience. Please contact the success story contact person directly for the most complete and current information.
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