Smart Bodies: Building Healthy Bodies and Active Minds

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana

The goal of the Smart Bodies program is to promote lifelong healthy eating patterns and a physically active lifestyle to children and their families in Louisiana. The program was initially developed as a partnership between the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana Foundation and the outreach arm of the Louisiana State University system, the LSU Ag Center. Through the program, children increase their basic knowledge about nutrition, understand the importance of physical activity, increase the time they spend in physical activity, increase their intake of fruits and vegetables, and learn about the body's digestive system.

The target audience is students in public and private elementary schools, with special emphasis on limited-income youth. Participating schools' administrators, faculty and parents/guardians receive monthly newsletters, activity books and curricula. The program integrates classroom activities with hands-on learning to teach children how to build strong bodies and active minds.

Smart Bodies includes three components: the Louisiana Body Walk, the OrganWise Guys and Take 10!, along with curricular materials. The Body Walk is a 35' x 45' walk-through exhibit representing the human body. Students explore each organ and participate in interactive activities to learn the effects that food has on each organ. They also receive a take-home activity book to share with their families. The OrganWise Guys are fun characters that help children understand physiology and health behaviors through books, games, dolls and informational videos. The Take 10! classroom program is a grade-specific educational tool that encourages short bouts of physical activity integrated with academic lessons.

All the Smart Bodies programs are linked to the Louisiana Department of Education grade-level expectations, and the program has been a great success, receiving awards for several of its components. In 2007, 89 schools in 32 parishes, serving more than 35,000 students participated in the program. Smart Bodies combines fun with education to address a serious public health problem.

Program contact:  Christy Oliver Reeves, Executive Director, 225-298-7051, Christy.reeves@bcbsla.com.