Welcome to the Parma Health Project!

Introduction
Kelly Pesnell, DNP-candidate, FNP, RN is a Family Nurse Practitioner in rural Idaho.  In this role she has a unique perspective into the health struggles of the rural population:  access to healthy affordable food, time and energy to exercise, education about a realistic plan of healthy living.  These challenges are especially detrimental to the children in our society.  Promoting childhood nutrition and physical exercise is vital to increasing the health status of every community...


You hear this all the time, but what does "eat right and exercise" really mean? These words are empty without a plan.  Kelly has devised a strategy to address health-related issues by putting the appropriate resources in one place.  After several years of research, she discovered the Live Well! program on healthy living designed by the Nutrient Rich Foods Coalition (http://www.nutrientrichfoods.org/index.html).  This organization uses the guidelines outlined in the USDA My Pyramid and the Dietary Guidelines for Americans to bring a user-friendly, evidence-based toolkit for consumers.

Kelly loves this program because it pulls together the aspects of health education that are important to her:  food group information, portion control and meal planning, shopping list advice,  how to eat out and on the go, and exercise recommendations and tips.

The Project in brief
Parma has a wonderful after school program with 117 students from kindergarten through eighth grade.  The parents of these kids will be the target population for the first installment of the Parma Health Project.  Kelly has gathered a team of nursing students from Idaho State University--Meridian to run a health fair a the Maxine Johnson Elementary School on March 16 and 17, 2011.

The Live Well! program will be introduced to the parents along with a pre-survey (the Home Environment Survey) to assess their current knowledge base on nutrition and exercise and the environment in which the children interact.  There will be several booths set up by the ISU students to enhance the main concepts: reading food labels, smart shopping and meal planning, exercising in the community and at home, and fluid status/BMI assessment (Bioimpedance Spectroscopy).

By bringing the Live Well! program to the parents en masse, Kelly and her team have a rare opportunity to address questions and needs one on one. Approximately one month following the health fair, the parents will be invited to fill out a post-Home Environment Survey to evaluate outcomes and identify areas that need improvement.

For more information, keep reading!