ELCA NEWS SERVICE January 6, 2006 ELCA, Mayo Clinic Offer 2006 Health Risk Assessment 06-002-FI CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) Board of Pensions, Minneapolis, and ELCA Vocation and Education are encouraging the church's pastors, professional lay ministers, employees, seminarians and their families to take the third annual Mayo Clinic Health Risk Assessment at http://www.ELCAforwellness.org/ through Feb. 28. Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, Rochester, Minn., manages the interactive online program. "The 2006 ELCA road map for wellness is to increase physical activity, decrease caloric intake and live prayerfully," said Tammy L. Devine, wellness coordinator, ELCA Board of Pensions. Devine is a registered nurse and an ELCA diaconal minister who serves the church through the Board in collaboration with ELCA Vocation and Education. "Live as a wise steward of the gift of your body, mind and spirit. Invest in your health and well-being. Annually grow in understanding your health risks by taking the Health Risk Assessment," Devine urged members of the ELCA health plan. "Choose to love and care for yourself by making good choices so that you can live, love and shine as Christ loves you," she said. The online program allows users to assess their health risks and develop plans to stay healthy. Users provide health-related information, such as blood pressure, weight, and cholesterol and glucose counts. Users receive instant, individualized online reports from Mayo Clinic that outline health risks and prioritize actions that can be taken. Information entered in the assessment is confidential. The ELCA Board of Pensions receives summary information about the respondents as a group. There were 4,485 ELCA leaders and adult members of their families who took a similar Mayo Clinic Health Risk Assessment at the beginning of 2004. At the start of 2005 there were 3,581 who took the online survey. A total 7,061 people took part in the first two years. A cohort of 1,005 people took the assessment both times it was offered, which made it possible for Mayo Clinic to analyze information charting progress in the health planning and performance of this group. The clinic's 2005 report noted it could "draw broad conclusions" from the data, but there were too few participants in each category to make specific observations about pastors or people in other categories. "The cohort results indicate improvement in the percentage of participants with the most prevalent medical conditions: high cholesterol, hypertension, depression, arthritis and allergies. A slight drop in the use of some prescription drugs was also reported by the cohort," the report said. Analyzing the cohort data also showed participants were growing more willing to change, especially in the areas of increased exercise, better nutrition and weight loss. Each user completing the 2006 assessment may choose to receive a free copy of "Stretch and Pray: A Daily Discipline for Physical and Spiritual Wellness" by the Rev. Murray D. Finck, bishop of the ELCA Pacifica Synod, Yorba Linda, Calif. -- -- -- The home page of the ELCA Board of Pensions is at http://www.ELCAbop.org/ on the Web. ELCA Vocation and Education's wellness information is at http://www.ELCA.org/health/ on the Web. For information contact: John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or [log in to unmask] http://www.elca.org/news ELCA News Blog: http://www.elca.org/news/blog