UH OptiWeightTM Teen
Program Overview
All information and tools provided as part of the OptiWeight Teen Program are for
educational and informational purposes only and are not intended or implied to be a
substitute for medical or professional advice.
The information provided should not be used to diagnose or treat any illness, metabolic
disorder, disease, or health problem.
Always consult your physician or a health care provider before beginning any nutrition
or exercise program or with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
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Table of Contents
Program Introduction.................................................................................................................. 3
Program Registration & Payment ............................................................................................... 4
Program Content & Supporting Components .............................................................................. 4
Weekly Program Topic Schedule................................................................................................ 6
Program Evaluations .................................................................................................................. 7
Parent Participation in UH OptiWeight Teen .............................................................................. 8
UH OptiWeight Teen Program Enrollment ................................................................................. 9
Program Termination and Withdrawal ...................................................................................... 10
Parent Checklist........................................................................................................................ 11
Teen Checklist ......................................................................................................................... 11
Contact Information.................................................................................................................. 12
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Program Introduction
UH OptiWeight Teen was created to meet the needs of our employees’ children based on the
success of our UH OptiWeight program for employees. Over the past 30 years, the country has
seen a significant rise in the incidence of childhood and adolescent obesity; obesity in
adolescents has tripled. Obese adolescents are at risk for developing health conditions that can
travel with them into adulthood. Adolescence is also a great time for teenagers to develop, build
upon, and strengthen healthy habits that can be taken with them into adulthood. Changing
behaviors while young helps solidify a healthier future. UH OptiWeight Teen is intended to help
the teenage children of UH employees achieve a healthy body weight and decrease their risk of
developing co-morbidities associated with their excess weight. Education regarding healthier
nutrition habits, increased physical activity, and behavioral changes around eating and activity
are core concepts of this program.
UH OptiWeight Teen is a twelve week virtual healthy lifestyle program, currently available to
the 13-17 year old children of University Hospitals’ employees. The goal of the program is to
help teens achieve a healthier lifestyle through education and support of healthy nutrition,
behavior, and physical activity choices. This virtual program will consist of an online
community, via Google+, where content will be delivered through UH OptiWeight Teen videos,
informational resources and links, dialogue and feedback through the online community, and
one-on-one support via email and web chats. Each participant will set their own goals and a UH
dietitian or exercise physiologist will serve as their coach throughout the program to assist them
in meeting their goals for improved wellness. Any adolescent who meets the age criteria and is a
legal dependent of a UH employee is eligible to enroll in the program.
UH OptiWeight Teen provides educational resources and support to teenagers who want to
optimize their weight and/or improve their lifestyle through healthy nutrition, healthy behaviors,
and increased physical activity. Studies have shown that the following lifestyle changes are
particularly pertinent to teenagers:
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Decreasing fast food intake
Decreasing sugar-sweetened beverages
Increasing fruit and vegetable consumption
Eating breakfast
Increasing activity with a goal of 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous exercise daily
Decreasing time watching television or playing video games
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Program Registration & Payment
All program participants and their parent or legal guardian must complete the program
consent form and registration form prior to beginning the program. In addition, all
participants must complete the EAT-26 Assessment. (Please see the Program Evaluations
section of this document for an overview of the EAT-26 Assessment.) Registration is not
complete until UHACO receives the signed consent form, completed program registration
form, EAT-26 Assessment, and program payment fee. These items can be sent to University
Hospitals Accountable Care Organization (“UHACO”) at the mailing, email, and/or facsimile
addresses listed in the Contact Information Section.
Payment Fee: $50 paid to University Hospitals Accountable Care Organization by check or
money order prior to the program start.
Program Content & Supporting Components
 Community: A community within Google+ will be used for UH OptiWeight Teen, a
program of the UHACO, to encourage communication, support, and motivation amongst
participants as they embark on a healthier lifestyle. The Google+ community will be used to
host weekly videos, facilitate one-on-one interactions with coaches, engage in message board
discussions initiated by UH OptiWeight Teen coaches, and distribute helpful resources.
ALL INFORMATION POSTED ON GOOGLE+ MAY BE MADE PUBLIC
AND/OR RE-PUBLISHED WITHOUT PERMISSION.
GOOGLE+ IS NOT PRIVATE OR SECURE.
You are more than welcome to communicate amongst your peers in the Google+ community.
In fact, we encourage it! You can learn a lot from interactions with your peers. Always
remember to treat each other with respect. Any violations of the enclosed Community
Guidelines and Website Terms and Conditions may result in termination from the UH
OptiWeight Teen program without warning and at the discretion of UHACO.
 Weekly Videos: UH OptiWeight Teen has produced 3-5 minute videos that will address the
theme of each week of the program. Each week one exercise and one nutrition video will be
shared via the Google+ community. Every other week a behavioral modification video will
be shared. Each participant is asked to post a comment on the designated message board
after watching the video in response to a question posed at the end of the video by the
program coaches. These answers will facilitate our Weekly Discussion Topics in these areas:

Be Fit: physical activity video
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
Be Healthy: nutrition video
Be You: behavioral video (every other week)
 Hangout: Every other week a one-on-one video chat (a “Hangout”) in Google+ between
coach and participant will be scheduled for the coach and participant to discuss progress.
 Self-evaluations (described later in these materials) will be discussed in the Hangout.
 The Hangout sessions will occur every other week. At the initial meeting with the coach,
participant will provide 3 days and times that he or she is available for Hangouts
throughout the 12 week class. Together, the coach and participant will determine the date
and time for the Hangout sessions.
 Participants are expected to participate in 6 Hangouts throughout the UH OptiWeight
Teen program.
 Web-based Links, Tools, Articles, and Recipes: Web sites, online tools, smart phone
applications, recipes, and motivating resources will be posted to the Google+ community all
week long to reinforce that week’s healthy topics.
 UH OptiWeight Blog for further education and support from the UHACO dietitians.
 Fitbit Zip: An accelerometer will be given to each participant at the start of the program to
encourage and track movement throughout the 12 weeks. After receiving the Fitbit Zip,
please follow these steps:
 Step One: Set-up the Fitbit Zip with home computer using the instructions at
http://www.fitbit.com/start. The Fitbit can also be synced with some mobile devices.
Please see http://www.fitbit.com/iphone (iPhone) or http://www.fitbit.com/android
(Android) for additional support on syncing these devices.
 Step Two: Wear Fitbit daily.
 Refer to the FitBit instructions as to the most accurate place to wear the Fitbit
for best results: https://help.fitbit.com/customer/portal/articles/742613wearing-your-fitbit-zip-tracker.
 Step Three: Once all participants have joined Google+, instructions for adding the
coaches as friends on Fitbit will be provided. This will allow us to post a ‘Leaderboard’
each week of the highest activity participants.
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Weekly Program Topic Schedule
Week
1
2
3
4
Weekly Topics
Be Fit.
Increasing daily
activity
Be Healthy.
Making healthy food
choices
Target heart rate
Rate of perceived
exertion (RPE)
Moderate vs. Vigorous
exercise
Barriers to exercise
Portion Distortion
Healthy Snacking
Essential components
to a workout
Meal patterns
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Principles of exercise
Eating out & fast food
choices
7
Exercise myths
Nutrition myths
8
Recommendations for
strength & cardio
exercises
Fitness related card
and board games
Reading nutrition labels
10
Resistance band
workouts
Healthy at home
cooking
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What to do when you
go to the gym
How to workout at
home
Getting enough calcium
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Hangout Session
Motivation and
Rewards
Better beverage choices
5
9
Be You.
Goal setting
Increasing fruit and
vegetable intake
Grocery store tour
Hangout Session
Schedule
Hangout Session
Sleep
Hangout Session
Emotional
eating
Hangout Session
Teasing and
bullying
Hangout Session
Focus on fit:
body image
Hangout Session
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Program Evaluations
A series of evaluation tools will be used throughout the UH OptiWeight Teen program to
determine the appropriateness of participation and to monitor progress throughout the program.
 EAT-26 Assessment: After deciding to participate in the UH OptiWeight Teen program and
the consent is signed and returned, the participant will need to complete the EAT-26
assessment. This screening is used to determine appropriate entry into the program.
 Please send the completed EAT-26 form to UHACO at the mailing, facsimile, or email
address listed in the Contact Information Section. After evaluation of the EAT-26
assessment, the participant may be enrolled into UH OptiWeight Teen.
 If the EAT-26 assessment indicates that there are clinical issues that need to be
addressed, the participant will be referred to Dr. Naveen Uli, director of Healthy Kids,
Healthy Weight program rather than enrolling in UH OptiWeight Teen. More information
about Rainbow’s Healthy Kids, Healthy Weight program is available at (216) 844-1966.
 Pre-program Evaluations:
 Initial Evaluation: This self-evaluation includes general information such as height,
weight, waist circumference, hobbies, activities, goals, and push-up and partial curl-up
tests.
 3 Day Nutrition & Activity Log: Each participant will be asked to keep a three day
nutrition and activity log on a provided template. Please record one weekend day and two
week days. This will be analyzed to assess current nutrition and activity status to better
assist coaches in guiding teens to their goals.
 Weekly Self-Evaluation: Each participant should complete a weekly self-evaluation on their
progress and email to their coach every Monday by 8pm.
 Weekly Weigh-in on Mondays. Participants should take a picture of the scale and their
weight with their camera or smart phone and email this with their self-evaluation.
 If a participant’s BMI falls below the 85th percentile, weight will not be tracked
throughout the program and their goals for the program will not include weight loss
goals. This will be discussed on an individual basis between coach and participant
before the first self-evaluation occurs.
 Final Evaluation: Each participant will complete these evaluations during the final week of
the program:
 Final Evaluation: This evaluation will measure change in height, weight, waist
circumference, hobbies, activities, goals, and push-up and partial curl-up tests from the
Initial Evaluation.
 3 Day Nutrition & Activity Log: Each participant will be asked to keep a three day
nutrition and activity log on a provided template. Please record one weekend day and two
week days. This will be analyzed to assess and compare pre-program and post-program
nutrition and activity behaviors.
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 Post-Survey: An online survey link will be sent to each participant via email for
completion with the goal of gathering more subjective data on the program.
Parent Participation in UH OptiWeight Teen
We encourage parents to participate in the program as well. This includes:
 Pre-Program Assessment: Prior to beginning the program, you will need to ensure that
your teenager completes the EAT-26 Assessment and returns it to the UHACO at the
mailing, facsimile, or email address listed in the Contact Information Section.
 Meet a UH OptiWeight Teen Coach: Meet with the coach to receive your teenager’s
accelerometer, provide payment, and discuss expectations for the program.
 Parents of UH OptiWeight Teen Community: Through the Google+ Parents’ community
we have provided resources to support your teenager in healthy lifestyle changes. This
includes information about purchasing healthier foods, involving your teenager in
cooking/shopping/food decisions, encouraging physical activity, monitoring behavior, and
overall supporting a healthier lifestyle.
 After enrollment, please create a Google+ account.
 Directions are available at: https://accounts.google.com/SignUp
 To access the community ‘Parents of UH OptiWeight Teen’ send an email to
[email protected] including the email address associated with your
Google+ account (this email will end in “@gmail.com”).
 An invitation to join ‘Parent of UH OptiWeight Teen’ will be sent to you via email
and via your Google+ newsfeed.
 Accept this invitation and you are a member.
 Please review A Parent’s Guide to Google+
 http://www.connectsafely.org/pdfs/plusparents.pdf
 Weekly Weigh In: Please assist your teenager with their weekly weigh-in and verify the
validity of the weight they provide. Your teenager will be required to provide a picture of his
or her feet on the scale validating the weight reported. If neither you nor your teenager has a
smart phone or digital camera, contact the coach and separate arrangements will be made.
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Please communicate openly any issues, concerns, or problems that may arise during the program
with your teenager’s coach. You can contact your teenager’s coach or the UHACO via phone or
email (listed in the Contact Information Section). Your teenager’s coach will call you during the
program to discuss your teenager’s progress in meeting their goals.
UH OptiWeight Teen Program Enrollment
In order to participate in UH OptiWeight Teen, please complete the following steps:
 Join the ‘UH OptiWeight Teen’ Community: Sign up for the Google+ and join the
community
 After enrollment, please create a Google+ account.
 Directions are available at: https://accounts.google.com/SignUp
 When creating a Google+ account, we recommend participants use an initial for their
first or last name (e.g. “Jane Smith” would be “J. Smith” or “Jane S.”)
 To access the community ‘UH OptiWeight Teen’ send an email to
[email protected] including the email address associated with your
Google+ account (this email will end in “@gmail.com”).
 An invitation to join ‘UH OptiWeight Teen’ will be sent to you via email and via
your Google+ newsfeed.
 Accept this invitation and you are a member.
UH OptiWeight Teen Program Overview
In order to get the most benefit from UH OptiWeight Teen, each participant should:
 Log into Google+ Daily: Review resources provided via the UH OptiWeight Teen
community to help motivate, educate, and support your lifestyle changes.
 Watch Videos: Watch the UH OptiWeight Teen video (3-5 minutes) posted in the
community. Each week there will be:
 Be Fit (physical activity) video on Mondays
 Be Healthy (nutrition) video on Wednesday
 Be You (behavioral change) video every other Friday
 After watching each video, please comment on the video. You will be prompted with a
topic or question during or after the video.
 Complete Self Evaluations: Complete a self-evaluation and weigh-in every Monday.
 Weigh yourself the same time of the day, same amount of clothes, same scale.
 Take a picture of your weight on the scale and email this to your coach with your weekly
self-evaluation each Monday by 8pm.
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 Hangout: Participate in a Hangout, which is a one-on-one video chat in the Google+
community, with your UH OptiWeight Teen coach every other week to discuss your self
evaluations, progress, and help in any areas needed.
 The Hangout takes place in Google+ through their video chat function.
 Plan on using your smart phone camera, tablet with a camera, or a web camera on
your computer.
 If you do not have access to a video function for use in the Hangout, please contact
UHACO and we will make alternative arrangements for one-on-one sessions.
 This time will be set up between you and your coach at the beginning of the program.
 Talk to your Coach: Your coach is available for communication through email, Google
chat, and phone. Your coach will provide their contact information after you have enrolled in
the program.
 Have fun!
Program Termination and Withdrawal
 Voluntary
 Participants should notify their coach should they choose to withdraw from the program.
 The coach will email the participant and parent to confirm withdrawal from the program
and remove the participant from the Google+ Community.
 Involuntary
 Should a participant be removed from UH OptiWeight Teen for violation of the
Community Guidelines or any other reason, the coach will email the participant and their
parent/guardian and remove the participant from the Google+ Community.
 Program Refund
 The fee is nonrefundable. Exceptions may be made if there is voluntary withdrawal and
the FitBit Zip is returned in new condition.
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Parent Checklist
Item
Action Needed
Due Date
Monday June
3rd
Initial Screening EAT26
Review & Sign:
Email to [email protected] or Fax to 216-2016001
Email to: [email protected] or Fax to 216-2016001
Meet with Coach
A coach will set up a time to meet with you. Bring your payment.
Week of June
10th
Register Fitbit
Teen with Parental Assistance: see Fitbit instructions in
packaging to register on the computer.
Friday
June 14th
Google+ (Parent)
Monday June
24th
Weekly Content
(online in Google +
videos & links)
Visit: https://accounts.google.com/SignUp Send the email you
registered for Google+ with to [email protected].
You will also be sent an invite to ‘Parent of UH OptiWeight Teen’
community.
Be Fit: Monday
Be Healthy: Wednesday
Be You: every other Friday
Self-Evaluation (and
weekly weigh-in)
To be completed by teen weekly on Monday (assistance with
validity & picture) emailed to your program coach.
Every
Monday
Halfway Check-In
Via phone with your teen’s coach on progress. (to be scheduled)
Final Check-In
Via phone with your teen’s coach on results of program. (to be
scheduled)
Week of July
29th
Week of
September 9th
Completion of Consent
Form
Monday June
3rd
Weekly
Teen Checklist
Item
Completion of Consent
Form
Initial Screening EAT26
3 Day Nutrition &
Activity Log
Initial Evaluation
Google+ (Teen)
Weekly Content
(online in Google+
videos & links)
Self-Evaluation (and
weekly weigh-in)
Final Evaluation,
3 Day Nutrition &
Activity Log
Action Needed
Email to [email protected] or Fax to 216-2016001
Email to [email protected] or Fax to 216-2016001
Teen to fill out:
Email to [email protected] or
Fax to 216-201-6001
Teen to fill out:
Email to [email protected] or
Fax to 216-201-6001
Teen to Visit and Register: https://accounts.google.com/SignUp if
not a current Google+ user. Coach will send invite to the private
‘UH OptiWeight Teen’ community
Be Fit: Monday
Be Healthy: Wednesday
Be You: every other Friday
To be completed by teen weekly on Monday with a picture and
emailed to: [email protected]
Email to [email protected] or Fax to 216-2016001
Due Date
Monday June
3rd
Monday June
3rd
Wednesday
June 19th
Wednesday
June 19th
Wednesday
June 19th
Weekly
Every
Monday
Friday
September 6th
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Contact Information
Please use the below information in the event you have any questions about this document, UH
OptiWeight Teen, or wish to submit any materials via postal mail, facsimile, or email.
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 216-844-3323
Fax: 216-201-6001
Mailing address:
University Hospitals Accountable Care Organization
3605 Warrensville Center Road
MSC 9214
Shaker Heights, OH 44122
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