Military study shows prevention of Novel A/H1N1 virus infection is vaccine-type and age-dependent
Both Live, Attenuated Influenza Vaccine (LAIV) and Trivalent Inactivated Vaccine (TIV) provide Protection against novel A/H1N1, especially against severe disease
Immunization with either live attenuated influenza vaccine (LAIV, also known as FluMist®), or trivalent inactivated influenza vaccine (TIV), appears to offer a protection (~ 45%) against the novel A/H1N1 virus, the cause of the present influenza pandemic. However, the benefit was largely attributed to the youngest age group. The finding emerges from an evaluation of medical encounters and seasonal influenza immunization of U.S. military service members.
As reported today in a Late-Breaker presentation at the 58th annual meeting of the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (ASTMH), seasonal influenza vaccination also appears to offer higher protection against severe disease requiring hospitalization (~ 62%, 95% confidence interval [CI], 14% to 84%) than against milder infections that can be treated on an outpatient basis (~ 42%, 95% CI, 29% to 53%).
“The increasing momentum of the H1N1 pandemic underscores the need for vaccination, yet there is a wide variance in vaccine effectiveness depending on the strain-match for a particular season,” comments Col. (Ret.) Jose L. Sanchez, MD, MPH, of the Armed Forces Health Surveillance Center (AFHSC) in Silver Spring, Maryland.
Dr. Sanchez and colleagues conducted a case control analysis of influenza-related medical encounter data of U.S. military service members, compared to a control group of personnel with acute, non-respiratory illnesses. For the period of April-October 2009, a total of 1,205 cases of pandemic H1N1 2009 infections were reported, of which 966 (80%) were among males and more than one-half (58%) were among those younger than 25 years. The overall vaccine effectiveness (VE) for service members was found to be 45% (95% confidence interval [CI], 33% to 55%). Immunization with prior season’s TIV (VE=37%; 95% CI, 23% to 49%) as well as LAIV (VE=22%; 95% CI, 1% to 38%), were found to be protective.
Interestingly, and unexpectedly, the investigators observed a U-shaped relationship of VE with age stratification. VE was high in the youngest (< 25 yo) and oldest (> 39 yo) service members (50% and 55% respectively), while there was noVE for those 25 to 39 years of age.
“These data highlight the need for concise, timely assessments of influenza vaccine effectiveness against the new A/H1N1 as well as seasonal strains,” notes Thomas Wellems, MD, PhD, president of ASTMH. “Although the United States military constitutes a highly immunized population that may not be generalizable to civilians, it offers unique cohorts of at-risk individuals that can be studied in randomized clinical trials. We look forward to further data from this population.”
“These findings suggest that while prior season’s influenza vaccine may not prevent infection or developing illness once infected, it certainly appears to protect against more severe outcomes. We may also be seeing a cross-protective effect resulting from natural influenza infections and/or prior influenza immunization in the military setting,” says Dr. Sanchez. “This may play a role in conferring a certain degree of ‘immunological priming.”
“Continued timely assessment of influenza vaccine effectiveness among military personnel is a top priority for us at the AFHSC. At the very least, our results will assist health officials in the military and Department of Defense in guiding future policy on seasonal and novel A/H1N1 vaccine use among military service members and dependents,” Dr. Sanchez concludes.
Source: The American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
National survey findings: Americans are concerned about heart health, but not proactive enough to prevent it
Trends in Reducing Heart Disease Risk Are Headed in Wrong Direction
Recent research indicates that despite decades of progress, fewer Americans are now considered “low risk” for heart disease compared to years past. Adding fuel to the fire, a new study is making headlines with the alarming statistic that 7 in 10 obese teens already have at least one risk factor for heart disease. To help educate families about prevention, the Preventive Cardiovascular Nurses Association (PCNA) has released findings from a new national consumer survey and launched a campaign to educate families about heart disease, the leading cause of death in the U.S.
The national survey revealed that more than three in five (61%) Americans incorrectly believe that the processes related to heart disease do not begin until adulthood. Alarmingly, fewer than four in ten (38%) correctly surmise that people should be concerned about living a heart-healthy lifestyle beginning in childhood and continuing throughout every life stage.
Research on reducing heart disease risk clearly shows that a more comprehensive approach to being heart-healthy is key. According to a study published in the journal Circulation in September, despite the success of past heart disease awareness and education campaigns, the recent trend toward reducing cardiovascular risk is now going in reverse. The vast majority (92%) of Americans are still at risk, primarily because of the rise in obesity.
“This is a wake up call for parents and their children in particular,” says Laura Hayman, Ph.D., RN, a member of the PCNA Board of Directors and a leading researcher on obesity and cardiovascular disease in children, adolescents, and families. “Some strides have been made; however, since more and more children are currently overweight, they are more likely at risk for obesity-related conditions later in life such as hypertension and type 2 diabetes.”
Statistics from a newly released Canadian study echo Dr. Hayman’s concerns about the link between the ever-present obesity epidemic and heart disease risk — particularly among teens. The findings, presented in October at the Canadian Cardiovascular Congress, showed that among a sample of 14 and 15 year old students, rates of high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and obesity were unusually high and increasing over time.
Research has found that when children learn about heart-healthy eating habits, it can strongly influence their behavior to reduce heart disease risk later in life. Yet, according to the PCNA survey, less than one-third of Americans follow a diet that is healthy for their heart. Also, seven in ten (70%) would not want their kids to adopt their eating habits because they do not think they set a good example when it comes to food choices (26%) or some of the time they eat food that is not healthy (44%).
“We are at a critical juncture,” explains Hayman. “It is imperative for parents to lead by example with an all encompassing heart-healthy lifestyle, making the necessary changes both in diet and physical activity.”
Since the PCNA survey found that the majority of Americans are at risk of heart disease due to some lifestyle factor, such as being overweight or having high cholesterol, small incremental changes in diet and physical activity can have a lasting healthy effect. To help parents learn how to make important lifestyle changes and become better role models for their children, to help reduce their risk of heart disease in the future, PCNA has launched a national education campaign called “Family at Heart.”
www.FamilyatHeart.org
Source: Preventive Cardiovascular Nurses Association
As fears turn to floods, Washington residents urged to look closer to home to prevent water damage
As many Western Washington residents prepare for the possibility of flooding in low-lying areas, a poll commissioned by Seattle-based PEMCO Insurance found that most homeowners often overlook simple steps to prevent less-spectacular water damage – the type caused by washers and other household appliances.
“There’s lots of focus right now on the possible Howard Hanson dam failure, but we know for a fact that costly water-damage claims happen all the time in people’s homes, and they can be prevented with simple steps,” said PEMCO spokesperson Jon Osterberg.
According to PEMCO’s recent poll, only 14 percent of homeowners identified water leaks as the leading cause of home-insurance claims. Of those polled, one-third said they don’t know the causes of frequent claims, and another 26 percent incorrectly blamed bad weather for causing most home claims.
“Year after year, PEMCO sees more homeowner claims caused by water damage than anything else, with the most-frequent claims coming from plumbing leaks in ice makers, dishwashers, and washing-machine hoses,” Osterberg said.
Water leaks are costly because the damage increases over time if it’s not discovered right away. For example, if a homeowner has a leaky sink or toilet that slowly rots the floor, the damage can be considered to be caused by neglect – a maintenance issue, not a covered claim.
Fortunately, homeowners can do routine maintenance checks to prevent costly leaks. PEMCO recommends:
1. Check hoses for kinks and cracks next time you do laundry. Replace your washing machine hoses every five years with a quality high-pressure
hose, preferably a durable metal-mesh hose. Washing machine hoses are available at most home improvement stores for $5 to $10.
2. Inspect flooring around your water heater for signs of leaks. A qualified tech should periodically inspect heaters installed more than five years ago. If your water heater is more than 10 years old, consider replacing it.
3. Inspect refrigerator and dishwasher faucet lines for leaks and crimps. Place a plastic tub under the kitchen sink to catch leaks before damage occurs. If you move your refrigerator to clean, be careful not to overextend or pinch the ice-maker line. If you see signs of brittleness or moisture, call a qualified repair technician.
4. Before the first frost, remove hoses from outside faucets and cover them with an insulating bonnet, available at hardware stores for about $2 each.
“Early detection is key,” Osterberg added. “Just a few minutes of maintenance can save you a whole lot of inconvenience.”
Visit www.pemco.com/poll to view a summary of the results collected by this poll. Visitors to the site can take an informal version of the poll to see how their own responses compare with those collected by FBK Research of Seattle earlier this year.
Drug Czar launches nationwide meth prevention advertising
Cites Progress in Anti-Meth Efforts and Importance of Cooperation Among Law Enforcement, Prevention, and Treatment to Continue the Fight
The White House Office of National Drug Control Policy Director, Gil Kerlikowske, today unveiled a new anti-methamphetamine (meth) ad campaign launched in Missouri and across the country, with particular focus on 16 States where meth prevalence, and lab seizures and incidents, are high. Director Kerlikowske was joined by U.S. Rep. Russ Carnahan (MO-03), Missouri Attorney General Chris Koster, and Colonel James Keathley, Superintendent of the Missouri State Highway Patrol.
“Despite the overall decline in meth usage across the country, we still have work to do,” said Kerlikowske. “This drug leaves a path of destruction that affects individuals, families and entire communities. Only by working together, can we rid the Nation of this insidious drug. This campaign complements the hard work done on a daily basis by members of law enforcement and the drug prevention and treatment communities to prevent meth use and encourage those affected by meth to understand that recovery from meth addiction is possible.”
The Anti-Meth Campaign, in its third year of coordination by ONDCP’s National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign, includes new advertising for TV, radio, print, Internet, billboards, and gas pumps. Using a “tiered” media approach, the Campaign ensures that all states receive a level of paid media support, with proportionally more media spending in 16 States with higher meth prevalence rates, based on national survey data, as well as a small group of Midwest States where meth lab seizures and incidents tend to be high. The new TV, radio, print, Internet, and out-of-home ads will run from September to November 2009 in Alaska, Washington, Oregon, Nevada, Wyoming, Arizona, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Iowa, Minnesota, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, and Nebraska. Additionally, radio ads and Internet search ads will run nationwide during the same time period.
The ads’ messages focus on meth use prevention, as well as provide information for meth users and their families who are seeking recovery services. The primary target audience for the Anti-Meth Campaign is young adults, ages 18 to 34, whose meth use tends to be highest across the country. The new advertisements were created by Publicis & Hal Riney in San Francisco, the pro bono advertising agency, in coordination with the Partnership for a Drug-Free America. In early 2010, the television ads will be available as free public service announcements (PSAs) for non-profits, State, and local government offices to customize and use in their own communities.
“Our communities have been fighting this problem for years, and we’ve learned that the key to victory is a comprehensive program of prevention, education, remediation and wraparound treatment,” said U.S. Representative Russ Carnahan (MO-03). “The additional resources this new campaign is bringing into our state can only help bring us one step closer to winning the war against meth.”
“In Missouri, members of law enforcement, criminal justice, drug prevention and treatment communities have been working diligently on the meth problem,” said Missouri Attorney General Chris Koster. “But our work continues, and we still have further to go to ensure that our citizens are safe from meth. This campaign supports our work in law enforcement – and the work of our many community partners in drug prevention and treatment.”
“We are pleased to welcome Director Kerlikowske and the dedicated representatives of St. Louis and Missouri law enforcement and criminal justice, drug prevention and treatment to launch this important ad campaign here in St. Louis,” said St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay. “Meth is certainly a critical community problem, not just for the individuals who use it, but for the family, friends, and people working every day to fight the terrible scourge of methamphetamine.”
According to the 2007 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, more than five percent of Americans age 12 and older have tried methamphetamine at least once in their lifetimes. In 2007, there were an estimated 529,000 current users of methamphetamine aged 12 or older. Missouri leads the Nation in reported meth lab seizures and incidents, according to recent data from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.
Josh, a Dunklin County, Missouri resident, is featured in the campaign’s open letter print ad. The ad tells the story of Josh’s meth initiation at age 17, which led to addiction, the loss of his job and house, and the trust of his family. Through a treatment program mandated through the Dunklin County Drug Court, administered by the Honorable Phillip Britt, Josh has fully recovered and now works as a junior drug counselor at an area treatment facility. Both Josh and Judge Britt, now Drug Court Commissioner of the 35th Judicial Circuit of Missouri, spoke at the press conference.
“We know that a comprehensive, community approach to fighting meth is vitally important, and this includes the message that recovery is possible,” said Kerlikowske. “Josh’s story illustrates that message and provides the real potential for hope to families struggling with the many effects of this devastating drug.”
Meth is an addictive stimulant drug that can be taken orally, injected, snorted, or smoked. Often called “speed” or “ice,” meth is available as a crystal-like powdered substance or in large rock-like chunks. Meth users are prone to violence and neglectful behavior that can affect their children and neighbors. The chemicals used in meth production are flammable and highly toxic, posing a threat to both the environment and residents.
For more information about the Anti-Meth Campaign, to view advertising and other resources, and to learn about how to order free PSAs, visit www.methresources.gov.
Since its inception in 1998, the ONDCP’s National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign has conducted outreach to millions of parents, teens, and communities to prevent and reduce teen drug use. Counting on an unprecedented blend of public and private partnerships, non-profit community service organizations, volunteerism, and youth-to-youth communications, the Campaign is designed to reach Americans of diverse backgrounds with effective anti-drug messages.
Source: White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP)
Piecing Together the HIV Prevention Puzzle
AVAC Report Assesses Progress in AIDS Vaccine, Microbicide and PrEP Research and Calls for Urgent Coordination and Leadership in Advance of Upcoming Results
“It’s an exciting time in HIV prevention research. We will see results from a number of critically important HIV prevention research trials this year, as well as see the start of new trials around the world that will yield important answers in the years to come,” said Mitchell Warren, AVAC executive director, at the release of AVAC’s 13th annual report of the field.
“But scientific, community and political leaders must act now to plan for continued research and implementation of effective strategies, or this excitement will be wasted,” Warren added.
The report – Piecing Together the HIV Prevention Puzzle – looks at AIDS vaccine research, where there is an energized focus on discovery, innovation and basic science and looks at the broader HIV prevention field, particularly the implications of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and other strategies in efficacy trials today.
This analysis of the HIV prevention field comes in a year that has already brought disappointment as well as intriguing results from various prevention studies. At the same time, even trials that failed to show overall benefit, such as the Step Study of the Merck HIV vaccine candidate, have continued to generate new, valuable information and questions that would not otherwise exist.
These trials have succeeded as a result of increasingly robust partnerships between researchers and communities grappling with HIV, including gay men around the world and heterosexual women in Africa. These partnerships, along with the persistently high rates of new infections, are a continual reminder of the global commitment to and need for continuing the search for new prevention for as long as it takes.
“We hope to have new prevention intervention pieces to add to the puzzle in the next few years,” said Warren. “But as the slow implementation of male circumcision to reduce heterosexual men’s risk of HIV infection reminds us, we need extensive planning and guidance to ensure research results are translated into real impact against the epidemic. We can’t afford to wait for efficacy results before we begin to plan. We must anticipate and tackle the major hurdles for implementation now.”
The Report identifies major issues for implementation of new prevention options, including:
- Ongoing global failures to scale up access to HIV testing and counseling services.
- Persistent inattention to the needs of gay men and other men who have sex with men around the world.
- Gaps in health care infrastructure that will complicate introduction of any new strategy.
In the Report, AVAC also underscores the importance of WHO and UNAIDS getting involved in planning for the results from PrEP trials before data are available.
“WHO and UNAIDS, along with other stakeholders, need to combine their strengths now to provide leadership and coordination so that the world is ready to work with results from the many ongoing PrEP trials,” said Warren.
Positive results from current vaccine, PrEP and microbicide trials will also present challenges and opportunities for other ongoing and planned HIV prevention trials.
“There has been concern that positive results from PrEP trials would require vaccine or microbicide trials to become larger, longer and more expensive, as PrEP could become a standard of prevention in these trials,” said Warren. “But we believe that success in one trial will open up possibilities and options for research that could combine AIDS vaccines and other interventions as they emerge.”
To help guide efforts in new areas of research and sustain ongoing research, AVAC calls for researchers and trial sponsors to begin planning on how combination strategies can be evaluated.
As the field looks to fit the puzzle pieces together, the AVAC Report also identifies a number of big questions in AIDS vaccine research for 2009 and beyond, focusing on issues such as cell-mediated viral control, HIV genetic diversity, the role of animal models, immune activation, antibodies and adjuvants.
In its analysis of the vaccine field, AVAC also assesses the progress and future potential of the Global HIV Vaccine Enterprise and considers the impact of results from the Thai prime-boost vaccine trial that are expected in September. With over 16,400 participants, this is the largest AIDS vaccine trial ever undertaken.
“In AIDS vaccine and HIV prevention research today, we see a fertile mix of big science and individual efforts, of product-oriented work and of slow and steady basic science,” Warren added. “What we need now is a quick, strategic, scientific analysis of all the efforts underway, with a goal of identifying gaps and opportunities for synergy both within the AIDS vaccine field and across the vaccine, PrEP, and microbicide fields. AVAC is excited to help move the HIV prevention field toward a collaborative agenda and to prepare now for implementing potential new prevention options.”
Piecing Together the HIV Prevention Puzzle is available at www.avac.org/reports.htm.
Landmark Policy Report: Many Cancers Could Be Prevented Across the Globe
Comprehensive, Evidence-Based Recommendations for All Levels of Society
A new global policy report estimates that approximately 37 percent of colon cancer cases and 28 percent of breast cancer cases in Brazil and other middle-income countries in South America are preventable through diet, physical activity and weight maintenance. The report also sets out recommendations for policies to reduce the global number of cancer cases.
The overall message of the report, Policy and Action for Cancer Prevention, published today by World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF) and American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR), is that all sections of society need to make public health, and cancer prevention in particular, a higher priority.
It includes estimates on the proportion of many different types of cancer that could be prevented through diet, physical activity and weight. In South America, about one third of the most common cancers could be prevented. That figure does not include smoking, which alone accounts for about a third of cancers.
Different Policy Recommendations for Different Groups
As part of the evidence-based report, thought to be the most comprehensive ever published on the subject, two independent teams of scientists systematically examined the evidence for how policy changes can influence the behaviors that affect cancer risk.
Following this, a panel of 23 world-renowned experts made a total of 48 recommendations, divided between nine different but often overlapping sectors of society — called “actor groups” in the report. These actor groups are: multinational bodies; civil society organizations; government; industry; media; schools; workplaces and institutions; health and other professionals; and people.
Among the recommendations:
- Governments should require widespread walking and cycling routes to encourage physical activity.
- Governments should encourage healthy food and discourage unhealthy food through legislation and pricing.
- Industry should give a higher priority for goods and services that encourage people to be active, particularly young people.
- The food and drinks industry should make public health an explicit priority at all stages of production.
- Schools should actively encourage physical activity and provide healthy food for children.
- Schools, workplaces and institutions should not have unhealthy foods available in vending machines.
- Health professionals should take a lead in giving the public information about public health, including cancer prevention.
- People should use independent nutrition guides and food labels to make sure the food they buy for their family is healthy.
Professor Sir Michael Marmot, Chair of the WCRF/AICR Panel, said, “When people think of policy reports, they often think they only speak to governments. But the evidence shows that when it comes to cancer prevention, all groups in society have a vital role to play. “
Panel member Tim Byers, M.D., MPH of the University of Colorado at Denver said, “Estimating cancer preventability is a very complex prospect that involves making a number of assumptions. Having said that, the figures in this report are as good an estimate it is possible to achieve about the proportion of cancer cases that could be prevented through healthy diet, regular physical activity and maintaining a healthy weight.”
“On a global level every year, there are millions of cancer cases that could have been prevented. This is why we need to act now before the situation gets even worse.”
The report includes preventability for Brazil (considered a middle-income country), as well as for the U.S. and U.K. (considered a high-income countries), and China, considered a low-income countries. The global preventability estimate ranges between one quarter and one third of all cancers.
Policy Report Represents the Next Step
The new WCRF/AICR Policy Report is a companion document to the expert report Food, Nutrition, Physical Activity and the Prevention of Cancer: A Global Perspective, which was published by AICR and WCRF in November of 2007. That expert report evaluated the scientific evidence from over 7000 studies and came away with 10 recommendations for lowering cancer risk.
“The 2007 expert report identified the specific choices that people can make to protect themselves against cancer, but actually making those healthy choices remains difficult for many people,” said policy report panel member Ricardo Uauy, M.D., Ph.D., of the Instituto de Nutricion y Technologia de los Alimentos in Santiago, Chile. “The policy report takes the next step — it identifies opportunities for us as a society to make those choices easier.”
The American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR) is the cancer charity that fosters research on the relationship of nutrition, physical activity and weight management to cancer risk, interprets the scientific literature and educates the public about the results. It has contributed more than $86 million for innovative research conducted at universities, hospitals and research centers across the country. AICR has published two landmark reports that interpret the accumulated research in the field and is committed to a process of continuous review. AICR also provides a wide range of educational programs to help millions of Americans learn to make dietary changes for lower cancer risk. Its award-winning New American Plate program is presented in brochures, seminars and on its Web site, www.aicr.org. AICR is a member of the World Cancer Research Fund International.
Schools Receive Grants to Help Kids be Active, Eat Healthy
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan supports physical activity and nutrition programs for students and their parents
More than 16,600 Michigan children and their local communities will get an opportunity to participate in walking, climbing and other physical activities and to learn to eat healthily, through a partnership with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan.
They’ll join youngsters like those at Detroit’s Maybury Elementary School who now have more options to stay fit.
“The rock climbing wall installed last year gives students in all grade levels the opportunity to succeed at challenges, develop balance, upper body strength and problem solving as they travel along the wall,” said Linda Almeranti, a physical education teacher at Maybury Elementary, a recipient of a BCBSM grant.
Thirty-six schools throughout Michigan will share in a $333,400 grant with awards ranging from $1,000 to $15,000. Physical activity and nutrition programs vary from installing new playground equipment to hands-on organic gardening programs. Grant applications were offered to schools statewide based on certain criteria such as student participation rates in free and reduced lunch programs along with a population historically at risk for obesity.
“Even though our students have 20 minutes of recess time each day and are encouraged to engage in physical activity, they seldom do because our playground equipment is outdated and there’s simply not enough equipment for all students to use. With the funds secured from this Blue Cross grant, and a matching funds grant from GameTime Playground, we’re going to purchase new equipment and structures that will increase students’ physical activity,” said Scott Hutchins, principal, Bennett Elementary School in Jackson.
Since 2004, the Blues have provided nearly $1 million in funding to address childhood obesity among more than 113,000 school children throughout the state as part of our Building Healthy Communities grants.
“Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan has a mission that is unique among health insurance companies, and these grants are examples of how we help create stronger, healthier Michigan communities through partnerships with schools and others,” said Lynda Rossi, Blues vice president of Public Policy and Social Mission. “The grants promote physical fitness and nutrition to help children prevent serious health conditions down the road.”
As part of its unique social mission, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan is committed to focusing on reducing health care costs and improving quality, increasing access to health care coverage and services, and improving the health status of Michigan’s residents, particularly children.
The schools receiving grants are:
- Adrian – Michener Elementary School. Construct an outdoor fitness course for use by the school and local community. Grant amount: $15,000.
- Battle Creek – Doris Klaussen Developmental Center. Purchase fitness books and software designed for special needs students; supply pedometers for walking program; offer healthy food choices. Grant amount: $12,620.
- Detroit – Carstens Elementary School. Continue the Stop Everything and Start Exercising Now -SEASEN- program. Grant amount: $13,110.
- Detroit – Clara W. Rutherford Academy. Continue the “5-2-0-1″ program emphasizing fun physical activities and healthy lifestyles. Grant amount: $12,202.
- Detroit – Detroit Edison Public School Academy. Introduce a swimming program through collaboration with the Boll YMCA. Grant amount: $15,000.
- Detroit – Fleming Academy. Provide nutritional counseling, stage a health screening fair, issue pedometers for a stepping challenge and sponsor a field day. Grant amount: $15,000.
- Detroit – Greenfield Union Elementary and Middle School. Establish a healthy food co-op and erect a hoop house greenhouse. Grant amount: $15,000.
- Detroit – Isaac Crary Elementary School. Implement nutrition programs and involve families to participate in physical activity through new and enhanced playground equipment. Grant amount: $15,000.
- Detroit – Katherine B. White Elementary School. Add a dance program and complete the Healthy School Action Tool. Grant amount: $2,000.
- Detroit – Mark Twain School and Academy. Renovate a barren playground to include a track, basketball and tennis courts; add a climbing wall to the indoor gym. Grant amount: $15,000.
- Detroit – Maybury Elementary School. Purchase sports equipment, support physical activities during the day, and offer a healthy eating and cooking class to parents and students. Grant amount: $13,400.
- Detroit – Parker Elementary and Middle School. Develop an outdoor fitness track and supply pedometers to students; dietitians will provide programs on healthy eating habits. Grant amount: $11,000.
- Grand Rapids – C.A. Frost Environmental Science Academy. Install interactive playground and fitness equipment made from recycled plastic. Grant amount: $14,290.
- Grand Rapids – Central High School. Teach students how to shop for and create healthy meals; offer more physical activity programs and implement the Grand Rapids YMCA Healthy U program. Grant amount: $14,325.
- Grand Rapids – Creston High School. Open the gym facilities before and after school to students and the community. Increase academic opportunities which encourage health promotion and disease prevention. Grant amount: $15,000.
- Grand Rapids – Kent Education Center High School. Complete a YMCA fitness assessment and supply pedometers to start walking. Grant amount: $1,790.
- Grand Rapids – Sherwood Park Global Studies Academy. Implement a smart eating program, add a salad bar for middle school lunch program, provide healthy snacks and purchase pedometers for a walking club. Grant amount: $2,200.
- Ionia – Douglas A. Welch Community Center. Provide pedometers and heart monitor for a fitness program, add a climbing wall, soccer goal and indoor equipment. Grant amount: $7,620.
- Jackson – Bennett Elementary School. Install new playground equipment. Grant amount: $15,000.
- Lansing – Mid-Michigan Leadership Academy. Update playground and gym equipment and promote nutritious eating habits. Grant amount: $10,000.
- Mt. Clemens – M. L. King, Jr. Academy. Construct a fitness trail with activity stations available to the local area. Grant amount: $15,000.
- Saginaw – Francis Reh Academy. Students will create a healthy community awareness campaign focusing on how nutrition affects chronic diseases and how to engage in fun physical activities to improve health. Grant amount: $15,000.
- Taylor – Blair Moody Elementary School. Construct a playground play pad and a hoop house for hands-on organic gardening and farming. Grant amount: $15,000.
- Traverse City – Traverse Heights Elementary School. Improve fitness equipment, conduct after school physical fitness activities, implement healthy food options by cooking from scratch in the kitchen, and provide healthy snacks to students. Grant amount: $15,000.
- Waterford – Sandburg Elementary School. Increase fruit and vegetable consumption through a weekly free, fresh fruit program, cooking demonstrations and nutrition education for students and their parents. Grant amount: $13,840.
- Whittemore – Whittemore Prescott High School. Add a healthy food station in the cafeteria. Grant amount: $15,000.
BCBSM is also helping schools develop Healthy School Action Tools which are designed to help Michigan schools create healthier environments. The HSAT process offers schools a method to assess their environment and focus on one or more specific topics.
These schools are receiving $1,000 to complete their HSAT assessment:
- Detroit – O.W. Holmes Elementary School
- Grand Rapids – Aberdeen Elementary School
- Grand Rapids – Alger Middle School
- Grand Rapids – Ottawa Hills High School
- Ionia – Emerson Elementary School
- Jackson – Cascade Elementary School
- Jackson – Frost Elementary School
- Jackson – Hunt Elementary School
- Jackson – Northeast Elementary School
- Taylor – Myers Elementary School
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, a nonprofit organization, provides and administers health benefits to 4.7 million members residing in Michigan in addition to members of Michigan-headquartered groups who reside outside the state. The company offers a broad variety of plans including: Traditional Blue Cross Blue Shield; Blue Preferred, Community Blue and Healthy Blue Incentives PPOs; Blue Care Network HMO; BCN Healthy Blue Living; Flexible Blue plans compatible with health savings accounts; Medicare Advantage; Part D Prescription Drug plans, and MyBlue products in the under-age-65 individual market. BCBSM also offers dental, vision and hearing plans. Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan and Blue Care Network are nonprofit corporations and independent licensees of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. For more company information, visit bcbsm.com.