“I think about all the wonderful opportunities in our community to be physically active and to eat healthy, for example to shop at our farmer’s markets. We have so many parks and greenways around the county if you want to go be physically active with your family, friends, and neighbors you have those opportunities.
But we learn being active and fit is not always easy for everyone. Sometimes there is too little time or not enough places to exercise or a lack of healthy options.
You’ll hear from E. Winters Mabry M.D., Mecklenburg County Health Director as he discusses the need for a network of programs to provide healthy alternatives to everyone regardless of socio-economic status.
E. Winters Mabry M.D.
Mecklenburg County Health Director
“It’s basically having the programs in place and creating the awareness in the community among our citizens if they take advantage of how the programs are structured it means better health for them as individuals, for their families and hopefully for their work centers as well.”
Through a Fit Community grant, the Mecklenburg County Health Department developed a new worksite wellness pilot program to address healthy options for employees like promoting biking to work and healthy snacks. Another big motivator is the Fit City Challenge. The Mecklenburg County Health Department created the program and website to inspire and educate.
Dianne Thomas
“So when we designed the website we wanted them to know there is support in their endeavor to live a healthier lifestyle. “What we hope to accomplish is to encourage healthier lifestyles primarily through increased activity and healthy eating primarily through increased consumption of fruits and vegetables”.
Mecklenburg County also excels at creating inviting places and opportunities to go and be active with beautiful parks and greenways for all to enjoy.
Julie Clark
Director, Greenways, Mecklenburg County
“In the county we have Little Sugar Creek it pretty much is the premier greenway in Mecklenburg County. It has a 16 mile trail that leads from downtown Charlotte all way to South Carolina state line.”
Park planners have found greenways are not just for recreation, but many residents in the Charlotte area use it as a non-motorized way to get where they need to go.
A partnership between Mecklenburg County and Charlotte’s Department of Transportation is one example of how community partners can affect change in community design with policy and physical projects. The series spotlights what is called a “road diet”. You’ll learn how this transforms busy streets into multi-use physical activity areas.
Behind much of the strategy is Active Living by Design, a national program of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation at the UNC School of Public Health. ALbD specializes in helping communities create active and healthy places to live.
ALbD has identified five community strategies, preparation, promotion, programs, policy, and physical projects. This 5P Model strategy includes certain tactics to guide community leaders to create healthy eating, tobacco free schools and work sites, and environments that foster an active lifestyle.
