Support Good Eating and Physical Activity

In the workplace – With more than 130 million Americans working, many people spend the majority of their days in the office. Employers can offer healthy food options in the vending machines and cafeteria, inexpensive access to a gym, and work-based health programs like the American Cancer Society's Active for Life.

One person can make a difference in their work environment with the following ideas:

  • Start a walking club at lunch, before work, or afterward.
  • Organize a team for local runs, fund-raising walks, or a corporate challenge event.
  • Find speakers for noontime seminars on nutrition, fitness, or weight loss.
  • Add healthful snacks to the menu for company events. Try baked chips/pretzels instead of regular chips, a fresh fruit or veggie tray, and frozen yogurt with fruit toppings instead of ice cream sundaes for a celebration.

In the community – With rapid urban and suburban growth, parks and recreation facilities are quickly disappearing, taking away prime places to exercise. Voice your concerns by voting to preserve parks and green space.

Make change happen more quickly by:

  • Starting a community watch group to improve safety for walkers and bikers, and especially children. Most people say that safety is a barrier to being physically active.
  • Encouraging local planning boards for more sidewalks, crosswalks, and traffic lights to make walking safe in your neighborhood.
  • Supporting restaurants in your area that serve healthy food options and offer calorie counts.
  • Supporting local farmers' markets.

In schools – Many schools don’t require health and physical education classes and some cut recess to spend more time in the classroom. Talk to the school board about making health education a priority, offering healthy foods and beverages, and requiring P.E. classes.

Take the lead by:

  • Bringing healthy treats for birthday and other parties in school.
  • Asking your child's teacher to establish an "informal policy" about foods brought in for parties. For example, fruit will always be available; 100% juice (or water) will be served instead of fruit drinks.
  • Proposing different school fund-raisers that involve items other than candy or other foods of low nutritional value.