Physical Activity and Healthy Eating
ENRG
ENRG combines peer education with health communication strategies to positively address physical activity and healthy eating among teens by providing teens with an opportunity to participate and become leaders among their peers in this important movement to increase wellness.
With funding from Estee Lauder, we developed the ENRG program for groups that want to increase physical activity and healthy eating among teens. We gathered input from teens in Portland, Oregon and Watsonville, California to create communication materials that present USDA nutritional and physical activity recommendations in a style and language that teens can relate to. The program includes interactive “edu-tainment” workshops on such topics as label literacy, making healthier fast food choices, media literacy, and the benefits of physical activity. Additionally, the program provides guidelines and materials to get youth active, including implementing a pedometer challenge (an activity to encourage walking that is measured by having youth wear a device to measure number of steps taken) and addressing policy issues to make healthy changes in the school food environment. Coupled with these tools are campaign materials including, posters, print ads, T-Shirts, and dog tags.
Behavioral Impact
We are currently in the process of piloting ENRG in a local high school. After gathering feedback for improvement of the program based on the pilot, we will share lessons learned and make ENRG available to other schools throughout the nation. If you would like to implement ENRG please contact info@bwpdx.org
