Bright Spot: Geisinger Health Plan Tackles Childhood Obesity Through Community Programs

January 28, 2025

With a focus on children in the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) and Medicaid programs, particularly in counties with high rates of adult diabetes, Geisinger Health Plan’s Chronic Disease Pledge uses a multi-pronged approach to address childhood obesity and improve children’s health. A variety of complementary programs educate children about behaviors that contribute to unhealthy weight — and teach them ways to be healthier and feel better. These are three such programs and their impacts.

Planting seeds of knowledge:
Geisinger Health Plan introduced the Seeds of Nutrition program in Luzerne County, Pa., where nearly half of sixth graders fall into the obese BMI range. Participants learn the essential roles of nutrients, hydration, sleep and physical activity in maintaining a healthy body through a research-based curriculum. The results are impressive: knowledge of essential nutrients and understanding of social influences on food choices jumped by 31%, and more than three-quarters of the students learned the harmful effects of caffeinated drinks. Perhaps most inspiring, 70% of students now grasp the value of exercise and regularly bring water to school.

Moving with purpose:
Geisinger Health Plan also launched a Movement Madness Challenge, a four-week team-based competition hosted in schools. Designed to encourage physical activity along with mindfulness, kindness, healthy eating and reduced screen time, the challenge has transformed students into champions of their own well-being. Participants averaged nearly 67 minutes of physical activity daily — well above the national average. Some students have taken up running, while others have encouraged their siblings to join them in increasing their physical movement.

Treasure hunts for health:
In 2024, Geisinger Health Plan participated in the Geocaching Program — a modern-day treasure hunt using GPS and smartphone apps. As part of the initiative, children and families go on adventures to find hidden geocaches placed across the region. With the kids leading the charge, participants have found more than 400 geocaches while creating lasting memories. Parents shared that the excitement of the hunt has motivated their children to spend time outdoors, increasing activity levels while having fun.

Beyond these programs, Geisinger Health Plan also has 12 internal child-focused initiatives on nutrition and physical activity that it implements at community health fairs and HeadStart programs. Since 2023, these efforts have reached more than 3,400 children across nearly 200 events. Geisinger Health Plan also partners with community-based organizations to address food insecurity by providing healthy recipes and educational presentations at food pantries.

To address childhood obesity, Geisinger Health Plan advises other nonprofit health plans to consider innovating on or expanding existing programs, versus launching entirely new programs. It has found that using data and feedback from existing programs can make initiatives more effective and impactful for members. Another tip it offers: Make it easy for partner organizations to collaborate with health plans. For example, Geisinger Health Plan opted not to require baseline data for its Movement Madness Challenge because that would present difficulties for teachers. Instead, it uses national data to benchmark and demonstrate the program’s impact.

Geisinger Health Plan also suggests that nonprofit health plans partner with (and listen to) community-based organizations as trusted entities on the ground in the communities they serve. As part of a large, integrated health system, Geisinger Health Plan leverages resources from multiple hospitals, clinics, medical schools and research centers to develop programming and interventions for its members.

And because its members live in diverse areas — from very rural communities to urban centers — Geisinger Health Plan meets them where they are. Tailoring interventions and programming to the needs of each community makes sure members receive appropriate support.

Finally, the Geisinger Health Plan team includes a staff person who advises on appropriate terminology to use when speaking with children and parents about healthy weight. This guards against stigmatizing children or contributing to an unhealthy focus on body image. The programming also focuses on exploring new things rather than eliminating food groups or behaviors.