LiveWell Colorado Launches Aggressive Plan to Reduce Obesity in Colorado

Photo courtesy of Erik Keith Photography With Initial Funding Established and New Board of Directors and CEO in Place, LiveWell Colorado Evolves into Statewide Leader in Obesity Prevention LiveWell Colorado (http://www.livewellcolorado.org), a non-profit organization committed to reducing obesity in Colorado by inspiring healthy eating and active living, today announced the launch of an aggressive five-year strategy to improve the health of Coloradoans. Supported by a new, generous three-year, $17.1 million grant from The Colorado Health Foundation, as well as five-year funding of $16 million from Kaiser Permanente, and a $1 million grant from the Kresge Foundation, LiveWell Colorado today steps into a leadership role in Colorado’s commitment to obesity prevention. In April, LiveWell Colorado named its first president and CEO, Maren Stewart. Stewart and the newly appointed board of directors will begin leading obesity prevention efforts across the state, guided by the organization’s five-year strategic plan, Fostering Healthy People and Places: The Power of All of Us (http://www.livewellcolorado.org/about-us/strategic-plan). “Driven by a compelling mission and supported by an impressive board of directors, generous funders and engaged stakeholders, LiveWell Colorado has the potential to positively impact the lives of all Coloradoans,” said Stewart, president and CEO of LiveWell Colorado. “I am excited to lead this organization through its evolution into an independent non-profit that has the unique opportunity to truly make a difference in our communities.” LiveWell Colorado’s strategic plan sets forth an aggressive agenda for obesity prevention. LiveWell Colorado, the central coordinating body for statewide obesity prevention efforts, will work in concert with public and private entities, including the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, to address the behavioral, environmental and social roots of obesity. A compendium of input from experts in a variety of fields, the strategic plan lays out a comprehensive, results-oriented approach to the development of sustainable programs and policies that will work to reverse obesity trends. “Our commitment to LiveWell Colorado is built on our belief that this organization can drive positive change across all sectors of business, government and community,” said Anne Warhover, president and CEO of The Colorado Health Foundation. “Combating this obesity epidemic will take a collaborative movement of individuals and organizations across the state and it will get us closer to achieving our vision that, together, we will make Colorado the healthiest state in the nation.” An esteemed who’s who of leaders, the new LiveWell Colorado board of directors includes the following individuals: Ned Calonge - Chairman, Neil W. Bertrand, Tom Clark, Thomas G. Currigan, Jr., James O. Hill, John Hopkins, Grant Jones, Kurt Kennedy, Joyal Mulheron, Barbara O'Brien, Marguerite Salazar, Anne Warhover and Reginald L. Washington. Visit http://www.livewellcolorado.org/about-us/board-of-directors for complete bios. “Kaiser Permanente is focused on funding organizations and initiatives whose efforts are aimed at producing sustainable results and LiveWell Colorado is a solid example,” said Jandel Allen-Davis, MD, vice-president, government and external affairs for Kaiser Permanente of Colorado. “With a dedicated board of directors, a visionary strategic plan, a strong focus on evaluation and funding that allows for consistency, LiveWell Colorado is on track to take a leadership role in its commitment to reverse obesity trends across the state." According to data released May 1, 2009, by the Colorado Physical Activity and Nutrition Program and the Centers for Disease Control, Colorado’s 2008 adult obesity rate remained steady at 19.1 percent. In 2007, the adult obesity rate was 19.3 percent. The CDC data also show that in 2008, 55.3 percent of Colorado adults fell within the categories of overweight or obese, leaving only 44.7 percent of Coloradoans at a healthy weight. LiveWell Colorado has funded local community initiatives across the state since 2006. Today, LiveWell Colorado funds and provides technical assistance to 25 local community initiatives focused on implementing programs and policies that support healthy eating and active living. About LiveWell Colorado LiveWell Colorado aims to provide every Coloradoan with access to healthy foods and opportunities for physical activity in the places they live, work, learn and play. This non-profit organization will realize its vision by elevating health and wellness awareness, augmenting funding for the most promising obesity reduction strategies and leveraging investments and resources. With the launch of Colorado’s strategic plan, Fostering Healthy People and Places: The Power of All of Us, LiveWell Colorado and its board of directors will implement an aggressive, coordinated statewide intervention to address the human and economic tolls of overweight and obesity and improve the health and well being of all Coloradoans. For more information about LiveWell Colorado Community, visit www.livewellcolorado.org. About Kaiser Permanente Colorado Kaiser Permanente Colorado is the state's largest nonprofit health plan, proudly working to improve the lives and health of Denver, Boulder, and Southern Colorado area residents for 40 years. Kaiser Permanente Colorado provides comprehensive health care services to 480,000 members through 17 medical offices and a network of affiliated hospitals and physicians. The health plan was recently named “Highest in Member Satisfaction” among Commercial Health Plans by J.D. Power and Associates. It is also the top-ranked commercial and Medicare health plan in Colorado, according to U.S. News & World Report/National Committee for Quality Assurance. In 2007, Kaiser Permanente directed more than $42 million to community benefit programs to improve the health of all Coloradans. For more Kaiser Permanente news, visit kp.org/newscenter. About The Colorado Health Foundation The Colorado Health Foundation works to make Colorado the healthiest state in the nation by increasing the number of Coloradans with health insurance, ensuring they have access to quality, coordinated care and encouraging healthy living. The Foundation invests in the community through grants and initiatives to health-related nonprofits that focus on these goals, as well as operating medical education programs to increase the health care workforce. The Foundation's assets of more than $900 million include an investment portfolio as well as an ownership interest in Denver’s HealthONE hospital system. For more information, please visit www.ColoradoHealth.org. About The Colorado Physical Activity and Nutrition (COPAN) Program An initiative of the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, the Colorado Physical Activity and Nutrition Program’s mission is to prevent obesity and related chronic diseases and to promote healthy lifestyles for all Coloradans. A driving force of COPAN is its coalition—a group of more than 450 public and private partners working together to design, implement, coordinate and evaluate statewide interventions that are effective, widely accepted and culturally appropriate throughout the state. COPAN seeks to achieve these goals by building a comprehensive community approach to good health that supports individuals throughout the lifespan and involves all sectors of the community.