Print PageTeam Lean History
At a time when most hospitals are actively involved in treating
obesity-related diseases, Memorial Hospital and Manor of Bainbridge,
Georgia is taking a proactive role in preventing this epidemic by
creating "Team Lean," an innovative community-wide weight loss program.
Team Lean, is a 12-week weight loss competition among teams of five
people per team. After two successful Team Lean competitions for its
employees, Memorial Hospital and Manor approached the
Bainbridge/Decatur County YMCA about working together to offer a Team
Lean competition to the entire community.
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The team approach to weight loss proved to be a positive motivator. The
team effort, mixed with the accountability of weekly weigh-ins and the
chance to win some cash, made this first Team Lean community
competition amazingly successful with a total of 16,154 lbs. lost in 12
weeks. Over 1000 people began the competition and 906 stayed with it
for the entire time, resulting in a 90% success rate. Twelve people
lost over 20% of their body weight and 302 people lost between 10% and
20% of their weight. The top individual loser lost 111 lbs., or 31% of
his total body weight.
The YMCA encouraged exercise by waiving its initial membership fee for each Team Lean participant who joined the YMCA during the competition. Also, Memorial Hospital and Manor gave free blood screenings to measure cholesterol and glucose at the beginning and ending of the competition. The average cholesterol decreased by 8 points, the average triglycerides decreased by 30 points, and the average glucose decreased by 4 points. Free educational programs about nutrition and exercise were held during the 12-week competition for Team Lean participants.
At the end of the competition, the top 38 teams and top 5 individual losers were awarded cash prizes for their efforts. Over $64,000 was collected from participants who paid $5.00 at each weekly weigh-in and $1.00 penalty for each pound gained. All of the money was returned in the form of prizes. As an extra incentive to keep losing weight, a 6-month weigh-in was held at Memorial Hospital and Manor on October 24, 2007, for Team Lean participants who continued losing weight. Awards of $250 were given to the top 20 individuals who had lost the highest percentage of weight from January 31, 2007 through October 24, 2007. The "Biggest Loser" at the 6-month weigh-in lost 31.2% of his body weight. A new Team Lean competition began in January 2008 with almost 1000 participants again.
