>>Community-based marketing designed to keep kids moving

USF's prevention research center key to anti-obesity program's success

Tampa, FL (August 16, 2006) -- A federally-funded prevention research center at the USF College of Public Health helps communities start and evaluate a summer youth program aimed at increasing physical activity and combating childhood obesity. Called VERB Summer Scorecard, the program rewards "tweens" -- 9 to 13-year-olds -- who participate in various summer events such as disc golf, hiking, bowling, swimming and yoga. The first program was hosted by the Tweens Nutrition and Fitness Coalition in Lexington, Kentucky in 2004 and its success led to national coverage. The Summer Scorecard program was part of the larger VERB demonstration project in Kentucky funded by a grant from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, with support from the USF Florida Prevention Research Center (FPRC).

This year, for the second consecutive summer, Sarasota County adapted the program and is one of 17 communities in the United States to implement locally-tailored versions of the CDCís campaign, VERB, It's what you do. The FPRC has created a manual and CD-Rom to help communities start the VERB Scorecard program. The centerís staff teaches community coalitions to think like marketers so they can strategically tackle public health problems, such as childhood obesity that can lead to diabetes and other health complications. "Many behaviors need to change to prevent kids from getting heavy. You have to find ways to compete with computers, video games and other sedentary activities that compete for their time and attention," said Carol Bryant, PhD, professor of community and family health and co-director of FPRC. "We believe social marketing is the best approach that communities can use to persuade kids to eat better and be more active."

In Kentucky, VERB Summer Scorecard is part of a wider anti-obesity campaign supported by state policies, which includes reducing consumption of sweetened beverages, incorporating physical education in schools and involving parents in promoting healthy eating. Locally, USF's FPRC has worked with the Obesity Prevention Coalition of Sarasota County, a grassroots organization comprised of 30 community groups — including the Sarasota County Health Department, the YMCA, Sarasota County Parks & Recreation, and Sarasota County Schools — to develop the Scorecard program.

"USF helped us to focus on the target audience just as advertisers would so that the message we developed would appeal to youth. Their ability to quantify the value of the program was very beneficial," said Ken Modzelewski, coalition chair and CEO of the South County Family YMCA. The Sarasota County Summer Scorecard program offered tweens throughout the county free or reduced-cost summer activities designed to get them moving — everything from beach runs, kayaking and kickboxing to basketball clinics and the chance to learn juggling. Scorecards were distributed to children to keep track of their hours of physical activities at participating sites, including pools, skating rinks, parks, martial arts facilities. After each hour of activity the child received a scorecard stamp. When 24 squares were filled the child received a prize such a VERB sports towel, backpack or water bottle, and was eligible to participate in a grand prize drawing.

"Kids this age are into doing cool things with their friends. They donít want to associate physical activity with exercise and health education, so the whole VERB message, including the website, was designed to be cool, fun and edgy," said Jen Nickelson, a public health doctoral student who coordinates the Sarasota project. Last year's evaluation of the Sarasota Summer Scorecard indicated that more than two-thirds of those who participated in the program tried a new game or sport, compared to just one-third of nonparticipants, Nickelson said. "One little girl told me she tried yoga for the first time and really liked it. The idea is to help kids find a physical activity they enjoy so they can continue it into adulthood." Although national funding for the CDC's VERB campaign is being cut, Modzelewski said Sarasota wants build on the momentum of the Summer Scorecard program by continuing a similar program next summer. For more information on Sarasota Summer Scorecard, go to www.verbsarasota.com.

FPRC is one of 33 health promotion and disease prevention centers in the nation funded by the CDC.

- USF Health -

USF Health is the University of South Florida's enterprise of researchers, teachers and clinicians dedicated to improving the full continuum of health. Its core is the colleges of Public Health, Nursing and Medicine, including a School of Physical Therapy, as well as the healthcare delivered by its 450 physicians and more than 100 nurse practitioners. In partnership with its affiliated hospitals, USF Health's research funding last year was $134 million -- more than half of which came from federal sources. Last year, USF health clinicians cared for more than 31,000 patients and oversaw 396,000 outpatient visits.