LIFE Foundation Community Opportunity

At a Glance

The community of Cross Plains, Wisconsin determined that it needed to promote nutrition and physical activity in order to address this small, rural community’s troubling obesity rate.

The project’s results suggest that strategic and organized social support networks as well as community gardens promoted across community, childcare and senior settings are both effective ways to engage residents in activities that improve nutrition and increase physical activity.

The Challenge

Like other areas of the state and nation, the small rural community of Cross Plains, Wisconsin is facing the health challenges of a population that is overweight or obese. In 2014, researchers, in partnership with UW Health Cross Plains medical clinic, examined the prevalence of obesity in a cohort of family practice patients seen in Cross Plains using chart review. The study concluded that, of the pool of active primary care patients seen within the last three years with a recorded body mass index, 38 percent were obese and 70 percent were either overweight or obese. The prevalence of obesity in Cross Plains was comparable to the national rate, significantly higher than the state by 7.3 percent, and above Dane County by 14 percent. Many community members are at risk for serious health conditions such as diabetes and heart disease that result from being overweight or obese.

Project Goals

The LIFE Foundation is a grassroots nonprofit organization in the rural community of Cross Plains whose mission is to foster healthy lifestyles. To accomplish its goal, the LIFE Foundation used a Community Opportunity Grant from the Wisconsin Partnership Program to implement two key strategies:

• The Empower Social Support strategy is made up of Empower Adults, Empower Kids, Empower Employees and the Step Up pedometer walking club. The objectives of the program were to achieve or maintain a healthy weight by improving nutrition and increasing physical activity in a social support network. Led by health and fitness professionals, the Empower programs included a fitness evaluation, weight management monitoring, educational seminars, fitness classes, nutritional programs, group support meetings and post-program medical evaluation and participant feedback. The Step Up program promoted group walks for all ages and abilities.
• The Gardens Grow strategy aimed to improve nutritional health and increase physical activity by creating home, community, childcare and senior gardens to enable better access to fruits and vegetables. Community gardens are a suggested strategy to promote healthy eating and reduce obesity.

Results

Measures for success for Empower included data tracking of weight, height, BMI, waist circumference and blood pressure, pre- and post-program SF-36 Quality of Life survey and a course feedback survey.

• Twenty-seven participants registered for the Empower program. They were either recruited or physician-referred. 24 participants completed the program.
• Twenty-four participants lost 351.5 lbs. and 55 inches from their waist circumference. One participant lost 49 lbs. and 7.5 inches off his waist circumference.
• Four participants each lost between 23.5 and 40 lbs. and between 2-5 inches off their waist circumference.
• Seven participants lost between 10 and 21 lbs. and between 2.5 and 6 inches off their waist circumference.
• Original BMIs ranged from 22 to 67. Final BMIs were in the range of 20 and 66. Blood pressures were lower for most at the program end.
• In the survey, all said they would recommend the class to others.
  The goal of the Gardens Grow strategy was to improve nutrition and increase physical activity by promoting and creating home, community, childcare, senior gardens and a Cross Plains Farmers Market.
• A Read It, Grow It, Eat It initiative was piloted at a local childcare setting in partnership with the public library.
• Senior Sunflower Gardens, a raised garden bed project, was implemented at a local senior center in partnership with Norwest Dane Senior Services to expose residents to fresh air, fresh food and gardening.
• LIFE Community Gardens offers 20 mid-size plots to community members as well as gardening seminars.
  The Gardens, Farmers Market and Parade were evaluated by the LIFE Foundation committees assigned to these programs.
• The Gardens Grow Initiative faced several unexpected obstacles. Devastating flooding thwarted the LIFE Gardens outcomes. However, the committee believes that this project shows merit and will be offered again next year. The childcare center that hosted that pilot program closed, however, LIFE plans to relaunch when a new center opens. LIFE will continue to support the senior gardens beyond the grant period as well.
• The Farmers Market was successful. It showed growth in customer and vendor attendance and by favorable comments by both groups as well as from the Village Board and the Chamber of Commerce.
• The Memorial Day parade was very successful in raising awareness of our gardens and market strategies. Parade attendance was estimated at over 1500 and over 300 Farmers Market Cards and children’s nutritional message stickers were handed out.

Lasting Impact

UW Health Cross Plains and Cross Plains Parks and Recreation are committed to sustaining Empower after the initial grant period. It addresses a community need to have an evidence-based, multi-factorial program to which physicians can refer patients for weight management support. Cross Plains Parks and Recreation has committed to providing fitness classes for the program.