Rishi Shukla is the Chief Executive Officer and a founding member of Fitness Forward, a Boston-based non-profit organization whose mission it to lead youth to live well. Prior to joining Fitness Forward he served as the Administrative and Clinical Manager of the Division of Pediatric Nutrition and the Nutrition & Fitness for Life Program (NFL Program) at Boston Medical Center (BMC) Pediatrics. From 2000 – 2006, Rishi worked with BMC Pediatrics on initiatives to address pediatric obesity among Boston’s underserved communities. While an undergraduate at Boston University, he played a leading role in developing the foundation of the NFL Program, a first of its kind clinical and community-based pediatric obesity treatment and prevention program. In addition to his efforts with Fitness Forward, Rishi is in the process of working with institutions in India to develop health promotion initiatives to address emerging public health issues.

Rishi completed his undergraduate education in neuroscience at Boston University and intends to further his education in global public health and social entrepreneurship in the near future. While at Boston University, he conducted neuro-rehabilitation research on human gait dynamics using virtual reality induced optic flow manipulations. He served as an Emergency Medical Services instructor and as an Emergency Medical Technician, and lent his services at such venues as the Boston Marathon, John Hancock Corporate Challenge, and Boston University Medical Center. Rishi also served as the President of Boston University’s Alpha Epsilon Delta Pre-Medical Honor Society and was recognized twice as a Student Leader for his contributions to the University. In high school, Rishi pursued the unlikely combination of football, tennis, and science fair. He culminated his ten-year science fair experience with honors from the U.S. Army and Navy and an original publication on thermal sensitive resistors.

Rishi is an avid tennis player and enjoys leading a physically active lifestyle, photography, graphic design, traveling, and downtime with family and friends.



How did you become so passionate about health and fitness issues?

When I was in high school, I decided to join the football team. I grew up in a town in which football is very much engrained in the culture and many of my friends were on the team, so I always had a desire to participate. It is not a common sport for Indian Americans to pick up partly because parents worry about the intensity of the sport. I grew up playing tennis, but being a somewhat rebellious teenager, I was determined to defy the cultural norms and prove to myself that I could play football. I became very regimented and began exercising regularly and eating a healthier diet. I was better known for my science fair and tennis participation, so it took some time to convince people that I was serious about playing football. I ended up making the team and contributing to our team’s multiple state championships.

In addition to building confidence, I became very disciplined as a result of my experiences with football, tennis, exercising, and health eating. Throughout high school and college, and still today, I developed a fond appreciation for leading a healthy lifestyle. My passion for health and fitness issues is very much tied to the positive impact that healthy living has had on my life. I think all children should be in a position to reap the many benefits of physical activity, healthy eating, and sleeping well.



How did you become interested in health and fitness issues for inner city kids?

My first exposure to the health issues facing inner-city children came when my sister encouraged me to volunteer with Project HEALTH, a non-profit organization based out of Boston Medical Center (BMC). From the end of my freshman year through my junior year, I served as a Program Counselor and Coordinator for Project HEALTH’s Boys Sports and Nutrition Program, whose purpose is to improve the physical activity levels, nutrition, and self-esteem of overweight children in Boston’s inner-city communities.

After an enlightening three-year experience with Project HEALTH, I was introduced to Drs. Barry Zuckerman and Caroline Apovian at BMC. Drs. Zuckerman and Apovian were working to develop a pediatric obesity clinic called the Nutrition and Fitness for Life Program (NFL Program) and were looking for someone to help get the initiative off the ground. After meeting with them, I was invited to work with BMC’s Pediatrics Department to launch the NFL Program. I started off coordinating the day-to-day activities of the NFL Program as a volunteer. I quickly recognized the significant need to do more than just the tasks asked of me, and invested the majority of my senior year playing a leading role in developing the foundation of the NFL Program. What began as one day per week of insurance checks and patient scheduling quickly evolved into the most demanding, satisfying, and educational experience of my life.

In between classes at the undergraduate campus, I would head over to BMC to meet families in clinic, follow-up on cases, and lead weekly fitness sessions for patients. My early encounters with NFL’s families revealed that most of them faced extensive social stresses. I was 21 years-old at the time and undeniably overwhelmed. I met with physicians, social workers, and lawyers to develop the competencies and framework needed to confront issues ranging from Medicaid coverage and affordable housing to transportation assistance and food insecurity.

After graduating from Boston University, I worked with BMC Pediatrics full-time for three years. I managed the Division of Pediatric Nutrition and the NFL Program and was fortunate to have had many opportunities to broaden my perspective, including revealing experiences in clinical administration and health policy. I worked with colleagues and state officials to improve insurance coverage and reimbursement for pediatric obesity treatment and preventive services, such as nutrition counseling. I was also involved in clinical research and medical education initiatives and represented the NFL Program on local and state committees.

I am grateful for the opportunity that my mentors at BMC afforded me. My experiences at BMC piqued my interest in children’s health, disease prevention, and addressing challenging social issues, and served as the impetus for other efforts, such as Fitness Forward.

Why is obesity a greater challenge amongst inner city kids?

The prevalence of obesity is greatest among low-income, minority populations. This is a very complicated issue that cuts across many aspects of society. Some of these reasons include poverty, lower levels of education, the prohibitively expensive cost of a healthy diet, disparate access to quality health care, lack of opportunities to engage in physical activity, community violence, lack of transportation, and inadequate public assistance programs.

There are also many single-parent families in inner-city communities. These parents often work multiple jobs to make ends meet. For $20, you can feed a family of 5 at McDonalds in less than 15 minutes. It costs significantly more time and money to purchase and prepare fresh, healthy foods. Also, instead of playing outside or participating in sports leagues, children often come home from school and TV becomes the most cost-effective babysitter of choice.

As you can see, there are many underlying factors and most of them are interrelated. It is going to take a concerted effort among many different sectors to systematically address these challenges.



What was the motivation to be a founding member of Fitness Forward?

Based on my experiences with Project HEALTH and Boston Medical Center, my interests in technology and health promotion, and the alarming social need, the opportunity to work with others to launch Fitness Forward was very compelling. I was intrigued by the possibility of reaching children while they are most impressionable, preventing illness, and working with a dynamic group of people who were similarly motivated to address childhood obesity, mental illness, and diabetes.

   1.The majority of the leading causes of death are preventable, yet only 5 % of U.S. health care dollars ($1.6 trillion) are spent on preventing illness.
 
 2.US childhood obesity prevalence increased from roughly 5% in the 1970s to nearly 18% in 2004.
  
3. Globally, the prevalence of overweight is increasing faster than underweight and poverty are being corrected.

What is Fitness Forward’s mission and vision?

Fitness Forward’s mission is to lead youth to live well. We aim to reverse the dangerous rise in obesity, diabetes, and mental illness among children by integrating scientific evidence, innovative technologies, and targeted social marketing. We envision a day when all children, regardless of background or circumstance, will grow up with the knowledge, motivation, and tools to live healthier, happier lives.



What do you use to accomplish this lofty goal?

Our signature program is called Drive 2 Fitness (D2F). D2F is designed to motivate and empower children and their families to lead healthier lifestyles through education, personalized tracking tools, social marketing, and incentives. With the encouragement of parents, school leaders, after school mentors, and D2F Volunteer Corps members, elementary school students are challenged to achieve key health behaviors related to nutrition, physical activity, and sleep. For each of the health behaviors children achieve on a daily basis, they earn D2F Points.

Children monitor their progress year-round via interactive web-based tracking tools and paper scorecards and earn rewards as they reach certain point benchmarks. D2F Volunteer Corps members work with the children during the school day, lead educational workshops for students and parents, and connect families to community-based resources. By bridging the school, out-of-school, and home environments, Drive 2 Fitness reaches children where they spend the majority of their waking hours.

The D2F daily health behaviors include: (1) 1 hour or more of moderate to vigorous physical activity, (2) 1 hour or less of TV, computer or videogame time, (3) 5-9 servings of fruits and vegetables, (4) No sugar-added drinks, and (5) 8-11 hours of sleep.



How are you obtaining your funding for this initiative?

Fitness Forward was effectively a volunteer-driven organization for the first two years and our operating costs were very low. After successfully piloting our Drive 2 Fitness program in the Durham Public Schools, we were in a position to seek grant support and hire staff. Initially, our funding came from community and family foundations. Over the last two years, we have also held fundraisers and organized annual appeals.

We established our national headquarters in Boston in 2006 thanks to funding and support from leading local institutions, including Harvard School of Public Health, Children’s Hospital Boston, and the Boston Foundation. To date, the Boston Foundation has invested $80,000 in our organization. We recently received a $135,000 multi-year grant through the U.S. Department of Education to support the further expansion and evaluation of Drive 2 Fitness.

As we continue to expand across North Carolina, Boston, New York City, and beyond we are looking to diversify our funding sources. We are in the process of discussing national corporate sponsorship opportunities with companies based in North Carolina, Boston, and New York City.



How has the program been received in the schools and community?

The feedback has been overwhelmingly positive thus far. Currently, our Drive 2 Fitness (D2F) program reaches over 9,500 children across North Carolina. We will be launching D2F in the Boston Public Schools this fall and in NYC schools over the next year. A recent study demonstrated that students participating in D2F, relative to their peers, (1) watch less TV, (2) are physically active more days per week, (3) are more aware of how to live healthy, (4) eat more fruits and vegetables, and (5) are tired much less often.

The following are some of the testimonials we have received over the last few years:

“I applaud your collaborative approach to health promotion and your firm commitment to Boston’s most precious resource, its children. I wish to offer you my strong support on this exciting and innovative initiative.” - Dr. Thomas Payzant, Former Superintendent, Boston Public Schools

“[Drive 2 Fitness] makes me feel more confident about my life.” –Durham 5th grader

“In the past year of this program, my 6 year old asks if vegetables can be substituted for the French fries that come with most children’s meals. We are so thrilled with this program and his increased awareness of good healthy habits. Thank you!” – Parent of Drive 2 Fitness participant

“The kids like the rewards, but the best long-term reward is living a healthy lifestyle.” – North Carolina Educator



How can the Indian American community help Fitness Forward?

There are many ways for individuals, companies, and organizations to support Fitness Forward. In addition to funding, we are always looking for strategic advice, introductions, and committed volunteers who are interested in working with schools and/or helping us with specific projects. I am a member of TiE Boston’s Social Entrepreneurship special interest group and have been fortunate to receive some excellent input and introductions from the very successful entrepreneurs at TiE. We are also looking for reward sponsors who can either donate or underwrite the cost of rewards, such as tickets and athletic apparel, for children.

If you are interested in learning more about our work and opportunities to get involved, please feel free to email us at info@fitnessforward.org. Our website address is http://www.fitnessforward.org.


Thanks so much for your time


Thank you.

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