1. Kelsey Keel, MPH Director, Childhood obesity initiative
Let’s Go! Gulf Coast A Community Based Partnership Creating Sustainable Worksite Wellness Initiatives in South Mississippi
Kelsey Keel, MPH
Director, Childhood obesity initiative

2. What is Let’s Go! Gulf Coast?
All about healthy eating and active living for MS Gulf Coast children, their families, and the communities in which they live, learn, work, and play!
Adaptation of nationally recognized childhood obesity prevention program, Let’s Go!
First initiative of the MS Gulf Coast Youth Health Coalition
Designed to combat childhood obesity on the MS Gulf Coast
Increase healthy eating and active living in children from birth to age 18

3. Make 5-2-1-0 Your Goal Every Day
Our core message is “Make Your Goal Every Day”
Supported by science and endorsed as recommendations by medical professionals

4. Multi-Setting Approach
Use a multi-setting approach to reach youth and families
Based on the premise that when families are exposed to health promotion messages through several settings, and those settings have policies and environments that support healthy choices, families will be more likely to adopt or maintain the behaviors in their daily lives.
Core Principles:
Changing environments and policies are the keys to creating healthy places that support healthy choices.
Consistent messaging across sectors is essential.
Strategies are based on science and recommended by the medical community.
Early Child Care: From birth to age 5 is a critical period for the development of healthy eating and physical activity behaviors. Since many children are in child care settings for several hours a day, these sites plan an important role in helping children develop healthy behaviors.
Schools: Can reach children during an important period of development. Children spend the majority of their week days at school and eat one or more meals, plus snacks, during that time. Students who eat healthy and are more physically active tend to perform better academically; Makes schools an ideal setting for addressing such behaviors.
After School: Have a long history of providing safe and healthy places for children to learn and grow. Programs serve youth at a time of day when they are more likely to be inactive and consume less healthy foods. These programs can work to address those factors while serving as an important bridge between what children learn at school and what behaviors their parents and caregivers allow at home.
Healthy Workplaces: Can help reach parents and caregivers where they spend the majority of their day, in an environment that can highly influence and support their behaviors around healthy eating and physical activity. Parents and caregivers play an important role is supporting and role modeling behaviors for their children. Many benefits to employers whose employees and families are healthier. Our message provides: Great starting point for workplaces that are new to wellness promotion & Strengthens the efforts of workplaces with existing wellness activities.
Healthcare: Primary care providers and other healthcare professional are credible sources for health and wellness messages. Our message for healthy lifestyles is a natural fit for providers. Offers an easy means to have a respectful conversation around weight with patients and families.
Communities: Serve as the unifying force that draws all the other sectors together and maximizes the impact that Let’s Go! Gulf Coast can have on children and their families
Cities and municipalities will have the opportunity to adopt and support the messaging at the local level. Possible partners: Civic groups, Elected officials & Local governments

5. Partnership Challenge
All ‘Partner Sites’ receive:
What we ask in return:
Free Starter Kit that includes:
Let’s Go! Gulf Coast Toolkit
color posters
Let’s Go! Gulf Coast flyers
training session
Public recognition as a partner
Ongoing programming ideas and support
Select strategies and launch them at your site within 6 months, including:
2 Promotional Activities
1 Wellness Activity
1 Policy, Practice & Environmental Strategy

6. Healthy Workplaces

7. Healthy Workplaces

8. Healthy Workplaces

9. Healthy Workplaces

10. For more information, please visit www.letsgogulfcoast.org
Thank you!
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