Bristol Hospital - The Family Wellness Program

The Family Wellness Programâ€™s chief objective is to reduce community obesity rates by teaching participants how to physically nurture themselves through good nutrition and an understanding of the importance of physical activity. The nutritionists and parent educators use multiple methods to address local obesity rates: cooking and nutrition classes for parents, exercise classes for children and parents, teaching families how to grow their own food, and showing parents how to make the most of their limited budgets to better afford healthier foods. After learning positive living skills, participants have a better chance of making future healthy lifestyle choices.

What is it?

The Family Wellness Program’s chief objective is to reduce community obesity rates by teaching participants how to physically nurture themselves through good nutrition and an understanding of the importance of physical activity. The nutritionists and parent educators use multiple methods to address local obesity rates: cooking and nutrition classes for parents, exercise classes for children and parents, teaching families how to grow their own food, and showing parents how to make the most of their limited budgets to better afford healthier foods. After learning positive living skills, participants have a better chance of making future healthy lifestyle choices.

Who is it for?

Low-income families, most of whom are enrolled in SNAP (food stamps), WIC (a supplemental nutrition program for women, infants and children) and/or free or reduced-price school meals. Moderate income families are now also eligible.

Why do they do it?

This program was developed as a direct result of the 2010 Bristol School Readiness Council's (BSRC) body mass index (BMI) assessment of 292 preschool children, which found that 43 percent were either overweight or obese. Results, which were presented in 2011 to the joint health committee of the BSRC and Bristol Early Childhood Alliance, shocked committee members.

Impact

One hundred parents with a total of 142 affected children participated in one or more parts of the Family Wellness Program during its CATCH grant-funded pilot. Between August 2013 and August 2014, the program collected pre- and post-BMI data on 33 children and 20 parents. For those providing pre- and post-data, results were as follows:

60.6 percent of the 33 children showed a decrease in BMI; 70 percent of children with a decrease in BMI had parents taking at least 3 parts of the program

20 percent of the 20 participating parents showed a decrease in BMI; 100 percent with a decrease in BMI completed at least 3 parts of the program

During fiscal year 2015, 248 individuals participated in the Family Wellness Program. This included 127 families, composed of 125 adults and 123 children.

Contact: Kimberly Carmelich
Program Director, Bristol Hospital Parent & Child Center
Telephone: 860-585-3176
Email: kcarmeli@bristolhospital.org

Community Partnerships

Patient and Family Education/Engagement

Community Connections