Faith Organizations

Partnership

Overview:

• Faith communities used the Faithful Families Eating Smart Moving More Guide or the African American Churches Eating Smart Moving More Guide to develop their program.
• Faith communities established wellness committees to make policy changes, organize programs or initiatives, and make environmental changes to improve physical activity and healthy eating among their faith community members.

Lessons Learned:

• The faith organizations were able to modify a secular health message and relate it to spirituality.
• In addition to faith community members, many faith leaders are unhealthy and overweight and could benefit from obesity prevention programs.
• Churches differ in the capacity to implement programs.