Camp NEW You is a family-based intervention intended to promote physical activity, decrease sedentary behavior, and improve dietary decision-making among at-risk adolescents. The program was originally planned, implemented, and evaluated at West Virginia University in Morgantown, WV by an interdisciplinary team of experts in education, exercise physiology, health promotion, medicine, nutrition, physical activity, and sport and exercise psychology. Given the interdisciplinary focus of the program, it targets multiple factors that influence the lifestyle choices youth make everyday by improving self-efficacy, providing a socially supportive environment, and enhancing behavioral skills and capabilities.

Improved Self Efficacy

• Daily chat or peer discussion groups during summer camp and follow-up weekends
• Regular health-related goal setting and progress monitoring for children and parents
• Establishment of a positive climate through use of reinforcement and redirection
• Significant culminating events that allow children to showcase learned behaviors

Socially Supportive Environment

• Small group affiliation and team-building activities for children and parents
• Family education about the provision of a healthy, supportive home environment
• Lifestyle coaching by telephone, e-mail, text messaging, and periodic weekend retreats
• Social networking web sites for both children and parents

Enhanced Behavioral Skills and Capability

• Blended educational curriculum used to teach key concepts and self-management skills
• Quality instruction regarding a variety of individual and group physical activities
• Provision of enjoyable and developmentally appropriate activity choices for families
• Enrichment activities that provide alternatives to more sedentary pursuits