MEDIA CONTACT: Kaytee Long | Health Promotion Manager| O: 303-694-8012 |C: 303-619-8571 | [email protected]
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Coloradans are Losing Weight, and Keeping it off
Civic Health Program Weigh and Win Begins its 6th Year with 75,000 Enrollments and $480,000 Earned by Participants in Cash Rewards
App and Home Scale Option Set to Launch fall of 2016
DENVER, June 22, 2016 – incentaHEALTH’s Colorado civic health program, Weigh and Win, is entering its sixth year of statewide programming with 75,000 participants. Thanks to a continued partnership with Kaiser Permanente, daily health coaching and cash rewards for weight loss will continue to be offered for free to Colorado residents 18 and over. Through behavioral economics and gamification, the behavior change program has helped Coloradans lose over 240,000 pounds since it was initially offered in 2011.
Successful participants achieve and maintain an average weight loss of 20.4 pounds over a 36 month period. An average enrollee begins their journey at more than 50 pounds overweight. As an outcome-based platform, Weigh and Win proves that it is possible to lose weight, and keep it off.
“Our innovative programming has instilled sustainable behavior change for the masses,” said Lia Schoepke, Weigh and Win Program Manager. “The original goal in the first year was to enroll 3,000 participants, a goal we surpassed four times over. Now that we have reached 75,000 enrollments, more Coloradans than ever are reducing their risks of type 2 diabetes, heart disease, the need for certain medications, and some are even able to work for the first time in years.”
The average weight loss of a successful participant after one year in the civic health program is 8 percent, or about 18 pounds. To date, 49 percent of participants with two or more weigh-ins have achieved a 5 percent or more weight improvement after six months of involvement in Weigh and Win.
Weigh and Win is supported by Kaiser Permanente and additional community partners, in an effort to encourage healthy eating, active living and behavior change throughout Colorado.
“When this program first launched, we felt strongly that this would draw a lot of interest but we couldn’t predict the extent of its success. Here we are six years later and we’re pleased to see so many Coloradans who have embraced healthy and active lifestyles thanks to Weigh and Win,” said Jandel Allen-Davis, MD, vice president of government, external relations and research for Kaiser Permanente Colorado.
Last year alone, 15,000 Coloradans enrolled in Weigh and Win and 24 new kiosks were installed across the state. In total, 91 community kiosk locations are hosted statewide. A map of all partners and locations can be found at www.weighandwin.com.
In May 2016, Weigh and Win launched the newest version of its iPad app, offering a Spanish language weigh-in experience. The app is currently live at multiple locations including Bob L. Burger Recreation Center in Lafayette, Denver Health Medical Center, Denver Human Services, Mountain Family Health Center in Glenwood Springs, North Colorado Medical Center in Greeley, YMCA of Pueblo and the Yuma District Hospital.
Launching fall 2016, incentaHEALTH will offer the HEALTHspot®-@-Home Scale option, allowing participants to weigh-in from the comfort of their living room. The companion app will include a premium coaching option that provides daily nutrition and exercise plans plus cash incentives for weight loss. The HEALTHspot®-@-Home Scale will be available worldwide on Amazon.
“We are excited to see what the future holds,” said Schoepke.
Weigh and Win’s Second Annual Conference, “Driving Civic Health through Innovation and Collaboration” is set for Wednesday, Sept. 21, 2016 at the Cherry Hills Country Club. Tickets will be available late July 2016. Interested in becoming part of the movement, attending the conference or bringing the program to your community? Contact [email protected].
Sign up for Weigh and Win at www.weighandwin.com or visit a local kiosk location. Text message health coaching is also available in Spanish by texting ‘únase’ to 303-500-1702. For questions, contact Weigh and Win at [email protected] or 303-694-8007.
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About incentaHEALTH: incentaHEALTH is a digital health company with headquarters in Denver, Colorado. As a leader in measurable, outcomes-based wellness programs, incentaHEALTH’s system is designed to help organizations and communities reduce health care costs. The program utilizes gamification by offering incentives to individuals for improving their health. This unique behavioral economics platform helps people manage their weight through the use of interactive email and text message coaching, provides validated weigh-ins on private kiosks in corporate and community locations, and distributes cash rewards for sustained weight loss success. The patented HEALTHspot® kiosk takes full-length digital photos and keeps a secure, cloud-based record of each participant’s weight, blood pressure and body mass index (BMI). Participants also have access to health coaches who provide live support whenever it’s needed. Organizations throughout the U.S., U.K., Puerto Rico and Singapore have implemented this health care solution for their employees and members and have reported significant success. Twitter Facebook Pinterest
About Kaiser Permanente Colorado: Kaiser Permanente Colorado is the state’s largest nonprofit health plan, working to improve the lives and health of all Coloradans for 47 years. We are comprised of the Kaiser Foundation Health Plan of Colorado and the Colorado Permanente Medical Group—one of the state’s largest medical groups with more than 1,100 physicians. We provide comprehensive care for our 675,000 Kaiser Permanente Colorado members through 30 medical offices across the state—from Pueblo to Greeley and now in the mountains in Summit and Eagle counties. We are also committed to our social mission and in 2015, proudly directed more than $124 million to community benefit programs to improve the health of all Coloradans. For more Kaiser Permanente news, visit kp.org/share or follow us @kpcolorado or like us facebook.com/kpcolorado.
About Weigh and Win: Weigh and Win utilizes verified weight loss data through patented photographed weigh-ins and provides Colorado adults with access to an effective weight management platform. With the primary focus of decreasing obesity rates, the program engages participants with rewards tied to measured results. The first resource of its kind, Weigh and Win is a product of incentaHEALTH’s scientifically designed and technology based health and wellness platform. As a leader in measurable wellness programs, incentaHEALTH’s system is designed to help organizations and communities reduce health care costs. The program utilizes gamification by offering incentives to individuals for improving their health. Colorado residents 18 and over can sign up for free and will receive daily coaching on healthy eating and active living by email or text message. The coaching includes tips for weight loss, weekly grocery shopping lists, daily meal plans (supplied by registered dieticians) and daily exercise routines (provided by certified personal trainers). Progress is tracked through quarterly weigh-ins at one of 91 community kiosk locations throughout the state. Success is rewarded with quarterly cash rewards for weight loss and maintenance, as well as monthly prize drawings for participating. Those who begin the program at an unhealthy weight (BMI ≥ 25) qualify for cash rewards. Weigh and Win is supported by Kaiser Permanente, in partnership with additional community partners, as an effort to encourage healthy eating and active living throughout Colorado. Sign up for free at www.weighandwin.com. Follow Weigh and Win on LinkedIn, Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter.
QUICK STATS:
- 75,000+ people enrolled in Weigh and Win.
- $480,000 in cash rewards given out.
- 243,000+ pounds lost.
- 91 community kiosk locations statewide. Map of all partners and kiosk locations can be found at weighandwin.com.
- 49 percent of participants with two or more weigh-ins have achieved a 5 percent or more weight improvement after six months in the program.
