# Presentation: 287373

## The Strategy of YEAH!: An Application of the Health Belief Model in Addressing Youth Obesity Prevention

**Tait Martin, Ph.D.,**
- Director of Research,
- Marketing for Change
**Jennie Hefelfinger, MS,**
- Chief, Bureau of Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion,
- Florida Department of Health
**Alice Jaglowski, MSH, CHES,**
- Physical Activity Coordinator, Florida Obesity Prevention Program,
- Florida Department of Health

## Objectives

- Define the problem of overweight and obesity among youth in FL
- Describe the Youth Empowered Ambassadors for Health (YEAH) program
- Apply the Socio-Ecological Framework to YEAH
- Explain the YEAH program using the Health Belief Model

## Defining the problem, 2005 YRBS

- In 2005, 14.4 percent of high school students were at risk for overweight and an additional 10.9 percent are overweight YRBS).
- In 2005, more than 60 percent of high school students did not participate in any physical education at school (YRBS).
- In 2005, approximately 21.9 percent of Florida high school students ate 5 or more servings of fruits or vegetables each day during the past 7 days (YRBS).

## Defining the problem, 2005 YPANS 

- In 2005, 31.3 percent of middle school students did not go to physical education classes at all during an average school week (YPANS).
- In 2005, only 22.0 percent of middle school students reported eating five or more servings of fruits and vegetables per day (YPANS).

## Building the momentum

- 2004 Governor’s Task Force on the Obesity Epidemic Recommendations
- 2005 Secretary’s Summits on Obesity
- 2005 4-H Pilot workshop

## Youth Empowered Ambassadors for Health (YEAH)

- Target audience: Youth from statewide organizations (i.e. 4-H, Boys and Girls Clubs, Girl/Boy Scouts, etc.)
- Purpose: Empower youth to become advocates for healthy behaviors specifically focusing on healthy eating and increased physical activity.
- Activities: Youth will focus on personal, interpersonal and organizational strategies to impact healthy lifestyles.
- Strategies: Utilization of the Connect With Kids “Biggest Generation” DVD. www.connectwithkids.com/yeah

## YEAH Summit 2006

- A one and a half day Youth Ambassador Summit in Orlando was convened on June 2 and 3.
- Information was presented on physical activity and healthy nutrition recommendations, evidenced based interventions and best practice strategies.
- Leadership opportunity for youth from various established youth organizations to present on existing activities to support this effort.

## Innovative partnerships

- Agency for Persons with Disabilities
- _[Alliance for a Healthier Generation - Kids Movement  ](http://www.healthiergeneration.org/kids/)__ _
- _[American Heart Association  ](http://www.americanheart.org/)__ _
- Connect with Kids
- Florida Coca-Cola
- Florida Dairy Council
- Florida Department of Education

- _[Florida On The Move  ](http://www.floridaonthemove.org/)__ _
- _[Florida Prevention Research Center, University of South Florida  ](http://hsc.usf.edu/nocms/publichealth/prc/)__ _
- _[IFAS, University of Florida, 4-H  ](https://4h.ifas.ufl.edu/index1.htm)__ _
- _[Special Olympics Florida  ](http://www.sofl.org/)__ _
- Student Advocate
- University of Central Florida

## Health

**Physical Activity and Healthy Nutrition**

**Personal **
**(increasing personal physical activity and healthy nutrition)**

**Interpersonal Environment**** **
**(Strategies to talk to parents and family about increasing**
** ****physical activity and healthy nutrition)**

**Organizational Environment **
**(Policies to promote physical activity and healthy nutrition in the club setting****)**

## Three assumptions of the HBM 

*Assumption one*: the feeling that the negative health condition can be avoided
- YEAH! participants believe obesity can be prevented
*Assumption two*: by taking a recommended positive action, an individual can avoid a negative health condition
- YEAH! participants are taught the benefits of healthy lifestyle choices to prevent obesity
*Assumption three*: an individual believes he/she can smoothly and successfully take health action to prevent a negative health consequence
- YEAH! participants are taught that their healthy lifestyle choices can easily fit into their lives and the lives of their peers and in the club setting

## Slide 11

| Concept |  Definition |  Application |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Perceived Susceptibility | One's opinion of chances of getting a condition | Provided youth with current data from their age group on overweight and obesity, physical inactivity and unhealthy nutrition. |
| Perceived Severity | One's opinion of how serious a condition and its consequences are | Youth led activity to demonstrate implications of increased portion sizes on caloric intake. |
| Perceived Benefits | One's belief in the efficacy of the advised action to reduce risk or seriousness of impact | Provided youth with evidenced based interventions and best practices to effect policy within their youth based organization. |
| Perceived Barriers | One's opinion of the tangible and psychological costs of the advised action | Team activities to address potential barriers of speaking to peers, family members and adult mentors about behavior and policy changes. |
| Cues to Action | Strategies to activate "readiness" | Expansion of web site to house resources and success stories of youth from around the state. |
| Self-Efficacy | Confidence in one's ability to take action | Provide initial training at the Summit and additional technical assistance. |

## Outcomes

- Six $1,000 mini-grants were awarded to participants that demonstrated potential in carrying out activities and strategies to support the YEAH message

- Flagler county future problem solvers have begun work on a gym for kids.

- Florida 4-H state level leadership Council has committed to adopting Healthy Lifestyles promotion as their theme for the year and have been working to address the issue across the state within their organization

## YEAH video

## Thank you

- We would like to say a special thank you to former Florida Department of Health Secretary Dr. John Agwunobi, whose belief in the power of youth advocacy shaped this initiative.
- We would also like to thank our primary youth based organization the Florida 4-H for their continued support and involvement.

## For more information :
Katie Rainka, YEAH Coordinator
	(850) 245-4330
	Katie_Rainka@doh.state.fl.us

Visit:
www.doh.state.fl.us/family/yeah
http://www.connectwithkids.com/YEAH/

- Katie Rainka, YEAH Coordinator
- 	(850) 245-4330
- 	Katie_Rainka@doh.state.fl.us
- Visit:
- www.doh.state.fl.us/family/yeah
- http://www.connectwithkids.com/YEAH/