Eat Smart, Move More…North Carolina in the Faith Setting

Initiative Overview

Mission

To reverse the rising tide of obesity and chronic disease among North Carolinians by helping them to eat smart, move more and achieve a healthy weight.

Programs and Resources in the Health Care Setting

African-American Churches Eating Smart and Moving More

The African-American Churches Eating Smart and Moving More: A Planning and Resource Guide provides African-American church staff and members, health department staff, community partners and others with information and tools for planning and conducting nutrition and physical activity programs in churches.

The Physical Activity and Nutrition Branch and its partners will disseminate the Planning and Resource Guide to the faith community through a series of training events and provide technical assistance for those interested in making changes in their churches’ physical activity and nutrition environments.

PARTNERS: N.C. Division of Public Health (Physical Activity and Nutrition Branch and Cancer Prevention and Control Branch), Shaw University Divinity School and UNC Center for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention.

N.C. Statewide Health Promotion Program

All local and district health departments in North Carolina participate in the N.C. Statewide Health Promotion program, and many have developed collaborative partnerships with faith-based organizations. Through these partnerships and programs, churches have made many changes to support healthy eating and physical activity.

For example, pastors have begun to promote healthy eating and physical activity from the pulpit, churches are building walking trails for members to use, and churches are planting fruit and vegetable gardens. Health Promotion Coordinators in each local or district health department can share other successes they have achieved in partnership with churches.