Cancer, heart disease, stroke and diabetes are among the top 10 leading causes of death in North Carolina. In 2017 alone, these chronic conditions resulted in over $9.9 billion in health care costs across the state. Physical activity and healthy eating play a role in the prevention and control of these conditions, but it is not always easy to find and afford healthy foods and safe places to be active.
“We want to create healthier communities where people have access to nutritious foods and opportunities for physical activity,” said Dr. Susan Kansagra, Chief of the NC Division of Public Health’s Chronic Disease and Injury Section. “These efforts align with the North Carolina Early Childhood Action Plan and can give young children a healthy start that will help them the rest of their lives.”
Each of the seven awardees will be working collaboratively with partners in their communities on at least one of the following:
• Implementing food service guidelines to increase the availability of healthy foods in worksites and community settings
• Assisting primary care practices and community groups to improve the continuity of care and community support for breastfeeding
• Collaborating with partners to connect sidewalks, paths, bicycle routes and public transit with homes, early care and education, schools, worksites and parks and recreation centers through master planning and land use interventions
• Integrating nutrition and physical activity standards into early care and education programs
DHHS is providing a total of $305,316 through funding received by the Division of Public Health’s Community and Clinical Connections for Prevention and Health Branch (CCCPH) from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This aligns with the CDC’s strategies at the state and local level to improve nutrition and physical activity. The funding will provide technical assistance and training on health, policy and systems change.
The awards are in response to the rising rates of chronic disease and obesity in North Carolina, and CCCPH’s mission to work with partners to create physical activity and healthy eating opportunities.
The awardees and their individual awards include:
• Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians – $40,000
• North Carolina Breastfeeding Coalition, New Hanover, Brunswick and Pender Counties – $56,520
• North Carolina State University, Edgecombe County – $70,000
• Smart Start of New Hanover County – $32,887
• Town of Carthage, Moore County – $22,185
• University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Mecklenburg County – $50,000
• Wilkes Community Partnership for Children, Wilkes County – $33,724
Since 2013, CCCPH has supported local health department regions across the state with funding to increase safe and active routes to school, employee wellness programs, faith-based health initiatives and healthy food access in underserved communities. Over 895 schools, 128 worksites and 72 faith-based communities have been impacted through this work that has created opportunities for more than 475,000 North Carolinians to enjoy increased access to physical activity and healthy eating.
CCCPH is a branch of the Chronic Disease and Injury Section in the NC Division of Public Health. CCCPH’s mission is to work with partners to create physical activity and healthy eating opportunities, improve quality and delivery of clinical services, and connect patients and their health care providers to community prevention and management programs with the goal of reducing obesity, diabetes, heart disease and stroke in North Carolinians of all ages.
To learn more about DHHS’s efforts to promote environments that foster physical activity and healthy eating, please visit communityclinicalconnections.com/What_We_Do/Improve.html.