LiveWell Colorado Aims to Reduce State's Obesity Rates:
Lieutenant Governor O'Brien Helps Launch $2.5 Million Community-Based
Initiative to Encourage Coloradans to Eat Better and Move More
DENVER - Surrounded by key leaders from the state's
health department, major foundations and representatives of programs
working to encourage Coloradans to adopt healthier exercise and eating
behaviors, Lieutenant Governor Barbara O'Brien officially launched
LiveWell Colorado, a new partnership that will provide millions of
dollars to help reverse the state's obesity trends and reduce related
chronic diseases. Program representatives announced 12 communities that
will receive funding to implement local initiatives that encourage
citizens to eat better and move more.
"Making sure our children have healthy food and
opportunities for exercise at school can help us fight against the
rising number of obese children in Colorado. Communities can design
parks with wellness in mind. These are just a few examples of a
community based approach to wellness," said O'Brien.
LiveWell Colorado grant recipients will promote healthy
eating and active living through policies, programs and environmental
changes in school, worksite, healthcare and other community settings.
A partnership among foundations, health care
organizations, non-profit organizations and state and local public
health agencies, LiveWell Colorado builds on programs previously
supported by the Colorado Physical Activity and Nutrition (COPAN)
Program at the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment
(CDPHE) and Kaiser Permanente's Thriving Communities Initiative.
Sponsored by The Colorado Health Foundation, CDPHE and
Kaiser Permanente, and the Colorado Department of Public Health and
Environment, LiveWell Colorado will leverage and coordinate statewide
and community-based efforts to encourage healthy lifestyles, with the
ultimate goal of reaching every Colorado community. The initiative will
seek to expand funding opportunities to communities throughout Colorado
by garnering support from additional public, private and non-profit
organizations. New funding opportunities will be announced at
www.livewellcolorado.com
as they become available.
According to the U.S. Surgeon General, obesity is the
single greatest public health threat to the nation. In fact, poor
nutrition and lack of physical activity are the second leading
preventable causes of death in the U.S. and Colorado. While Colorado is
among the leanest states, with 45.5 percent of adults being at a healthy
weight, the prevalence of overweight and obesity in Colorado is rising
in concert with national rates, putting a large portion of the
population at risk for cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer,
hypertension and asthma. Studies show that 73 percent of Colorado's
children ages 5-14 are physically active at least 5 or more hours a week
and nearly 29 percent of Colorado's children are considered overweight
or at risk of becoming overweight.
Please refer to the attached list of LiveWell Colorado
Communities. For more information about this initiative, please visit
www.LiveWellColorado.com.
About the Sponsors
The Colorado Physical Activity and Nutrition (COPAN)
Program
An initiative of the Colorado Department of Public
Health and Environment, the Colorado Physical Activity and Nutrition
(COPAN) Program's mission is to prevent obesity and related chronic
diseases and to promote healthy lifestyles for all Coloradans. A driving
force of COPAN is its coalition-a group of more than 450 public and
private partners working together to design, implement, coordinate and
evaluate statewide interventions that are effective, widely accepted and
culturally appropriate throughout the state. COPAN seeks to achieve
these goals by building a comprehensive community approach to good
health that supports individuals throughout the lifespan and involves
all sectors of the community.
The Colorado Health Foundation
The Colorado Health Foundation (formerly HealthONE
Alliance) is a nonprofit, tax-exempt organization devoted to making
Colorado the nation's healthiest state. Its assets total more than $800
million, including an investment portfolio as well as an ownership
interest in Denver's HealthONE hospital system. These assets serve the
community through grants, medical education programs, health policy
initiatives and direct care programs serving older adults, families,
mothers and infants.
Kaiser Permanente
Kaiser Permanente is the largest private health care
provider in Colorado with more than 482,000 members in the Denver,
Boulder and Colorado Springs areas. Kaiser Permanente owns and operates
17 medical offices, four mental health and chemical dependency offices
and state-of-the-art health care technologies, such as its electronic
medical record system, KP HealthConnect®. As a nonprofit organization,
Kaiser Permanente is committed to improving the health of communities.
It partners with key organizations to tackle challenges such as
decreasing the number of uninsured, improving health care affordability
and public health issues such as obesity. Kaiser Permanente physicians
and care teams focus on prevention as well as managing and treating
illness, all in an effort to help patients live well and thrive.
LiveWell Colorado Communities
The following agencies have received funding from
LiveWell Colorado to implement healthy eating and active living programs
in the communities they serve.
-
Denver Urban Gardens - $164,428
Communities: Auraria/Lincoln Park,
Sun Valley, Baker
Contact: Lisa Knoblauch, 303-292-9900
-
Denver Health and Hospital Authority - $103,030
Communities: Barnum, Barnum West, Sun Valley, Valverde, Villa Park,
West Colfax
Contact: Jennifer Wieczorek, 303-436-5426\
-
Denver Healthy People 2010 - $248,309
Communities: Park Hill Northeast, North,
and South Park Hill
Contact: Elaine Borton, 720-865-5465
-
Health and Human Services , City and County of
Broomfield - $140,000
Community: City and County of Broomfield
Contact: Mary Thatcher, 720-887-2213
-
Jefferson County Dept. of Health and
Environment - $202,862
Community: City of Wheat Ridge
Contact: Elise Lubell, 303-271-5719
-
Tri-County Health Department - $251,398
Community: Commerce City - Historic City
Contact: Merrick Wright, 720-322-1540
-
Valley Wide Health Systems, Inc. - $166,238
Community: Alamosa County
Contact: Christine Hettinger-Hunt, 719-589-5161
-
Prowers County - $76,550
Community: City of Lamar
Contact: Joyce King, 719-336-7486, ext. 169
-
Healthy Lifestyles Coalition - $149,380
Community: Durango
Contact: Wendy Rice, 970 382-6461
-
El Paso County Department of Health
and Environment - $67,320
Community: Fountain
Contact: Libby Evans, 719-578-3253
-
Poudre Valley Hospital Foundation - $182,448
Community: Ft. Collins
Contact: Virginia Englert, 970-495-7517
-
Summit County Prevention Alliance - $124,786
Community: Summit County
Contact: Tom Rose, 970-668-2077
The agencies below are not currently receiving funding
from LiveWell Colorado. However, they are receiving technical assistance
in the development of comprehensive action plans and are considered
LiveWell communities.
-
Cross Community Coalition
Communities: Globeville, Elyria, Swansea
Contact: Arturo Rodriguez , 303-292-1236
-
Regis University
Communities: Northwest Denver Neighborhoods
Contact: Susan Scherer, 303-458-4152
-
Eagle County Department of Health and Human Services
Community: Eagle County
Contact: Jill Hunsaker, 970-328-8819,
-
Foothills Park and Recreation
Community: Southwest Kipling Villas
Contact: Tammy Adams, 303-409-2100
-
Full Circle Inter-Generational Project, Inc.
Community: Skyland Neighborhood, Denver
Contact: Anita West-Ware, 303-333-7595
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State of Colorado,
Department
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