Year of Publication

2017

College

Public Health

Date Available

5-3-2017

Degree Name

Master of Public Health (M.P.H.)

Committee Member

Mark Swanson

Advisor

Kathryn Cardarelli

Co-Director of Graduate Studies

Angela Carman

Abstract

The Arkansas Department of Health proposes implementing the Alive! behavioral intervention program in Phillips County, Arkansas to decrease the prevalence of obesity in this community. Alive!, A Lifestyle Intervention Via Email, is an evidence-bases, email-derived, worksite intervention focused on reducing saturated fats, increasing fruit and vegetable intake, and increasing physical activity. As an email-based program, participants will receive weekly emails tailored to their individual goals with reminder emails delivered during the week with small-step goals to help the participant achieve their larger goal. As the country with the highest prevalence of obesity and second highest prevalence of obesity in 2014, Phillips County is primed for this intervention. As the largest employer of individuals in Phillips County, Alive! will take place in three schools in the Helena-West Helena School District – J.F. Wahl Elementary School, Eliza Miller Primary School, and Central High School. The goals of the intervention aim to benefit both the employee and the employer. The goals for the employee include better physical health through increased fruit and vegetable consumption and increased physical activity. The employer will see the benefits in fewer missed days from work due to employee illness and poor health, as well as incentives to receive filtered water stations upon agreement to participate. In conclusion, the researchers believe the Alive! behavioral intervention program has the potential to impact the health and wellness of the participants in the Helena-West Helena School District and those in Phillips County, AR as a whole.

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