Keeping Fit and Active at Any Age

Mary McFerson has spent several hours each week for the past year teaching young children the benefits of staying active and eating healthy. But she readily admits she got as much from the experience as the little ones in her CATCH Healthy Habits class.

A former researcher in community nutrition at BJC HealthCare, Mary understands what living an active life and filling your body with healthy food is all about. “I finally got the chance to share what I have learned over the years with children and it has been so fulfilling,“ she said. Her volunteer work, she added, has given her the opportunity to remain active, both physically and in her community.

“I’ll never forget the first day,” she said. “We were doing one of our activities and this boy had a surprised look on his face. He looked at me and said ”Wow! You can still move?”

CATCH Healthy Habits connects adult volunteers, aged 50-plus, with children in kindergarten to fifth grade to encourage healthier eating and increase physical activity. Together, both generations play active games, learn about food choices and prepare and eat healthy snacks. The program takes place both after school and during the summer.

The Anthem Foundation has provided $1.2 million in funding to the OASIS Institute to offer CATCH Healthy Habits in 12 cities during the 2015-16, including St. Louis where the program is sponsored by Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Foundation. Since 2008, Anthem has provided more than $8 million to support the program.

“In just five years, CATCH Healthy Habits has become the nation’s largest evidence-based, intergenerational program that improves the health and well-being of thousands of children and older adults,” state Marcia Kerz, OASIS Institute president. Nearly 23,000 children and 9,000 older adults nationwide have participated in OASIS CATCH Healthy Habits since 2011.

Here in Missouri, volunteers like Mary McFerson have contributed a total of 20,500 hours valued at more than $400,000.

“Obesity and a sedentary lifestyle pose serious risks for both children and adults in today’s society,” noted Steve Martenet, president of Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Missouri. Statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) show that one of every eight preschoolers is obese, along with 72 million adults. ”CATCH Healthy Habits, however, is proving that you are never too young or too old to improve those everyday habits that have a big impact on health. This is an important program for our state,” he added.

National results show that CATCH Healthy Habits works. Children in the program report eating two or more fruits and vegetables every day. They like the program’s healthy snacks; have fun exercising; and say they enjoy learning about health. The volunteers have experienced similar health and nutrition improvements.

“We don’t just give the children a new direction toward living healthier for a lifetime,” explained McFerson. “This program impacts the children’s families and their friends as well. Teaching healthy habits can be catching!”

Locally, CATCH Healthy Habits is being offered at multiple locations in St. Louis City and St. Louis and St. Charles Counties. Partner organizations include Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater St. Louis , City of St. Charles School District and Beyond Housing.

More volunteers are needed to expand the program. For more information, contact Shelby Schroeder at (314) 653-4092 or sschroeder@oasisnet.org. For more information on the program, visit www.catchhealthyhabits.org.

About Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Foundation

Through charitable grant making, the Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Foundation LLC, an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, promotes Anthem’s inherent commitment to enhance the health and well-being of individuals and families in communities that Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield serves. The Foundation focuses its funding on strategic initiatives that address and provide innovative solutions to health care challenges, as well as promoting the Healthy Generations Program, a multi-generational initiative that targets specific disease rates and medical conditions. These include: prenatal care in the first trimester, low birth weight babies, cardiac morbidity rates, long term activities that decrease obesity and increase physical activity, diabetes prevalence in adult populations, adult pneumococcal and influenza vaccinations and smoking cessation. The Foundation also coordinates the company’s annual associate giving campaign and its parent foundation provides a 50 percent match of associates’ campaign pledges. ANTHEM is a registered trademark of Anthem Insurance Companies, Inc. The Blue Cross and Blue Shield names and symbols are registered marks of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.

About the OASIS Institute

OASIS is a national education organization dedicated to enriching the lives of adults age 50 and older through lifelong learning and service. Offering stimulating programs in the arts, humanities, health, technology and volunteer service, OASIS brings people together to learn, lead and contribute in their communities. The OASIS Institute in St. Louis is the headquarters of a national network that serves a diverse audience through educational centers and community partners in 43 U.S. cities and 25 states. For more information, visit www.oasisnet.org