Blue Cross Blue Shield of Minnesota Evaluation of Physical Activity Community Funding Initiatives

Funding Source: Blue Cross Blue Shield of Minnesota

Project Period: November 2006 - February 2008

Project Coordinator: Julia Heany, PhD

MPHI-CDMTR worked with Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS) of Minnesota to evaluate two initiatives intended to increase physical activity through environmental modifications and policy change. The first of these initiatives was designed to support communities as they build interdisciplinary partnerships and engage stakeholders to envision strategies to change the physical environments of their communities to encourage physical activity. The second of these initiatives was designed to support community planners as they revise their communities’ Comprehensive Plans to incorporate principles of active living. The purpose of the evaluation was to describe the impact of involvement in the initiatives on participants, as well as to qualitatively describe immediate outcomes, such as the degree to which key partners engaged in the visioning process. Through these projects, the eleven participating counties and cities planned to create more opportunities for physical activity within their communities.

Project Type: Evaluation

Website: www.preventionminnesota.org

Keywords: Evaluation, Active Living, Obesity Prevention