Two years ago, Paulina Yearego weighed 250 pounds. She had battled obesity all her life and had tried numerous diets, without success.

“I was concerned I wouldn’t be around to see my grandchildren,” Yearego explained. “I couldn’t continue living that life.”

Things began to change when the Parkersburg, W.Va. native heard about the PEIA Weight Management Program, which serves as a comprehensive exercise and nutritional benefit provided by fitness facilities around the state. Eight staff at the West Virginia University College of Physical Activity and Sports Sciences provide customer service, program research and evaluation and phone coaching to participants like Yearego.

When she joined the program, she hoped that she would feel better while losing weight. In addition to regular exercise, she realized that for her food choices would be critical.

“Nutrition was the key to my success,” she said. “Now I eat foods that benefit my body. I eat foods to make me feel better. I feel good about myself.”

PEIA wants more West Virginians to experience similar success and has forged a three year contract with CPASS to continue their ongoing partnership.

Weight Management Research and Evaluation Coordinator Christiaan Abildso said that PEIA is at the forefront of the fight against obesity in the state and the U.S. Its Weight Management Program, which started in 2004, has grown from a pilot program to include 70 providers throughout the state and 650 participants.

Both the number of participants and providers has doubled in the last three years, since the first contract with CPASS began in 2008, according to Abildso.

That number should continue to grow, Abildso said, because PEIA has expanded its eligibility criteria and eased the enrollment process with an online option.

“The program can now reach about 70 percent of PEIA members,” he said.

Oak Hill, W.Va., native Courtney Vargo says the program has changed “everything” since she saw a PEIA brochure in her school where she works.

The mother of two young sons, Vargo says that she has changed physically, emotionally and mentally.

“My whole attitude has changed,” she said. She now teaches Zumba at the same gym where she started the program.

“PEIA is leading the national obesity battle with a program created in state that is having a widespread positive impact on West Virginians of all ages and abilities,” said Abildso. “No matter where people are in the spectrum, the program allows people to improve fitness and health as the ultimate goal.”

“It is wonderful for us to be involved with such an exciting program offered throughout West Virginia. We take great pride in helping to administer, deliver, and evaluate a program that helps many people tackle the challenge of building a healthy lifestyle,” Sam Zizzi, professor, sport and exercise psychology at CPASS, and director of Health Behavior Coaching with the program.

Nidia Henderson, Health Promotions Director with PEIA, says that the collaborative effort between the state’s public insurer and academia is special. “The folks at CPASS are passionate about the program and their role. They provide a vast array of activities for the program. They have a terrific staff. Every single one of them is exceptional.”

What does Henderson describe as challenges with the program? “We want to accommodate more members. We need to get the word out and make more people aware of the program.

“Next, we need to get people to the centers, help them succeed and then maintain their success. There are very few programs in the country like this one. Utah is the only other state with a program even close to this one. There aren’t well established guidelines out there to follow. We are having to determine critical success factors ourselves.”

“While the state is investing significant dollars in this program and other lifestyle change activities, we could use help in all areas of the public and private sector in bringing about the necessary environmental changes which encourage regular physical activity and healthy eating.”

For more information about the PEIA Weight Management Program and to enroll, call 866-688-7493, or visit the links below.

Links:
URL for the PEIA page w/enrollment and other links:
http://www.peia.wv.gov/health-information/health_and_wellness_programs/peia_care_management/Pages/weight_management_program.aspx
URL for the WVU website w/blog, participant, and provider materials:
http://healthperformance.wordpress.com/

-WVU-

08/09/11

Check http://wvutoday.wvu.edu/ daily for the latest news from the University. Follow @WVUToday on Twitter.

CONTACT: Kimberly Cameon, CPASS
304-293-0827, Kimberly.Cameon@mail.wvu.edu