WOW Summer Day Camp: Extension of an AAP Stage 3 Weight Management Program Emphasizing Cooking Skills, Enjoyable Activity, and Self-esteem.

Background: Pediatric overweight and obesity pose a serious health risk, affecting approximately 32% of US youth aged 2-19 years. Potential contributing factors include unhealthy weight gain in summer due to less structured activity and a decline in cooking skills potentially leading to poor food choices. To address these potential needs, as well as concerns around food insecurity, we initiated a pilot study that added a 5 day summer day camp to our AAP Stage 3 weight management program on the college campus that hosts our clinic. Methods: 13 children, enrolled in our multidisciplinary weight management program, attended a 5 day summer camp, Monday-Friday. There was no charge for attendance; the camp was funded by a PICH grant. Community partners (Cooking Matters, Sound Minds/Sound Bodies, University of Maine) coordinated the curriculum which included structured activity at the recreation center, cooking classes on site, psycho-social groups addressing self-esteem and bullying, and a Guest Chef master cooking class. Campers prepared their own lunches and snacks daily as part of the curriculum. Post camp evaluations were given to all children at the end of camp. Evaluations asked respondents to use a 5 point Likert Scale to rate camp activities, food, hours, “learning to cook activities”, and psycho-social group sessions. Open ended questions regarding favorite camp activity, one thing learned at camp, best part of camp, and what changes could be made to the camp completed the questionnaire. Ongoing feedback was also solicited from community partners involved in the camp. Results: 13 children age 8-15 years attended camp; 8 female, 5 male. 12 children completed the camp session. Attendee evaluation and community partner responses represented several themes. Camp activities were rated 4-5; camp food rated 3-5; and camp psychosocial group rated 4-5 (anti-bullying sessions with emphasis on self-esteem rated highest). The “learning how to cook” sessions unanimously received a rating of 5; skills involving knife safety, meal preparation, and being allowed to actually cook were top themes. Other themes: swimming highly rated; a variety of activities enjoyed; and overall appreciation of being at a camp at all. All team leaders, chef, personal trainers, educators, WOW team, and camper parents shared positive comments, including high camper engagement. Conclusion: WOW Summer Day Camp as an adjunct to an AAP Stage 3 weight management program has the potential to increase attendees quality of life through self-confidence in cooking skills, bullying-resistance strategies, and exposure to enjoyable (and possibly sustainable) physical activity. These learned skills may improve factors contributing to obesity such as food insecurity, limited physical activity, and poor self-esteem, food choices and peer support. Challenges include funding for sustainability of the addition of this potentially supportive modality to an existing weight management program for children and adolescents.