Challenge designed by HealthPartners health and well-being solutions
MINNEAPOLIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- More than 350 residents in western Wisconsin lost a total of 1,975 pounds in an eight week community weight loss challenge designed by HealthPartners health and well-being solutions. The challenge was sponsored by JA Counter Associates, an insurance brokerage firm in New Richmond, Wisconsin. A total of 364 residents from communities in the area surrounding New Richmond registered for the challenge which ended on March 17, 2012. The challenge awarded prizes including a cash prize for the person who lost the most weight. The grand prize winner lost 49 pounds.
“We need multiple solutions to reverse the obesity epidemic in our nation and community challenges can be one important way to help educate and to motivate people to achieve a healthy weight,” said Sharon Stein, vice-president for HealthPartners health and well-being solutions. A July 2009 study in the journal Preventing Chronic Disease found that a community weight loss challenge in North Carolina resulted in an average weight loss of about six pounds per participant. The study concluded that using mass media to promote community challenges can be an effective way to reach residents who are interested in losing weight and to disseminate information about weight loss to large, diverse populations, including those with limited or inadequate access to health care.
HealthPartners also offers weight loss challenge programs for employers. To encourage increased physical activity, HealthPartners will design its first community-based walking program in the New Richmond area in the third quarter of 2012. That program will also be sponsored by JA Counter Associates.
HealthPartners health and well-being solutions are offered to companies nationwide. Over the past two decades, millions of participants have improved their health through HealthPartners health and well-being programs.
About HealthPartners
Founded in 1957, the HealthPartners (www.healthpartners.com) family of health care companies serves more than 1.4 million medical and dental health plan members nationwide. HealthPartners is the top-ranked commercial health plan in Minnesota and is also ranked among the top 25 plans in the nation according to NCQA's Health Insurance Plan Rankings 2011-12 - private. Find out more about HealthPartners health and well-being solutions at healthpartners.com/wellbeing or call 888-869-4919.
CONTACT:
HealthPartners
Patricia Lund, 651-254-4731
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