Increasing participation in the evidence-based programs and initiatives below will help us achieve our result of Brunswick County residents living in communities with access to health and wellness opportunities.

1) Walk with a Doc is open to community members of all abilities. Participation is free and pre-registration is not required. Walkers will enjoy a 1-hour, refreshing and rejuvenating walk with a doctor and/or other healthcare professional, who will provide support to participants and answer questions during the Walk.

2) Health Hacks are free seminars including cooking demonstrations and tastings and wellness topics presented by healthcare professionals.

Topics Include:

-Jump starting your metabolism

-Quick and healthy recipes

-Healthy holiday eating

-Tips to de-stress

-Grocery store revamp

-Eating to improve mood

3) The YMCA’s Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) is a CDC recognized program based upon proven strategies to help reduce your risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Goals include weight loss, increased physical activity, improved nutrition and stress reduction. YMCA membership is NOT required to participate.

- Attend 25 one-hour sessions over the course of a year (16 weekly sessions and 9 monthly sessions).

-Small-group (8-15 people), supportive environment, led by a trained Lifestyle Coach.

-Enjoy additional supports for physical activity with a free 4-month YMCA membership for non-members.

4) Brunswick County Health Services provides an ADA recognized Diabetes Education Program to men and women who have Type I or Type II diabetes.

Diabetes Education sessions provide participants with helpful information on diabetes self-management, exercise, and help with nutrition including carbohydrate counting and the MyPlate portioning method.

Education Provided:

-Diabetes medication

- Blood glucose monitoring

-Nutrition

-Long-term and short-term complications of diabetes

-Exercise

5) Families Eating Smart Moving More (FESMM) targets Grandparents raising grandchildren, Single parent families, Foster Families, and all family structures. The curriculum is also used for High School youth.

There are 21 lessons under four major headings.

-Eating Smart at Home

-Eating Smart Throughout the Lifecycle (For Pregnant and Nursing mothers)

-Eating Smart on the Run

-Moving More, Every Day, Everywhere, Watching Less

6) Teen Cuisine 

The curriculum is designed to address the Essential and Core standards for each grade. In addition, the lessons are developed to positively affect five key health behaviors:

• Increase the youth’s knowledge of human nutrition;

• Increase the variety of foods in the youth’s daily diet;

• Improve the youth’s ability to select low-cost, nutritious foods for meals and snacks;

• Improve food preparation and food safety practices to reduce the risk of foodborne illnesses; and

• Increase daily physical activity

7) SNAP-Ed Programs

              Mission: Steps to Health is North Carolina State University’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program-Education (SNAP-Ed) Program. We educate and inspire limited resource North Carolinians to eat smart and move more through nutrition and food resource management education programs targeting elementary-age children, adults, Latino families, and older adults. Our goal is to help participants make healthy choices within a limited budget and choose physically active lifestyles consistent with the current Dietary Guidelines for Americans and MyPlate.

              Programs include:

                           Take Control, Faithful Families, Steps to Health

8) 4-H Healthy Habits Programs

Mission: 4-H Healthy Habits youth programming, aims to reach large numbers of youth in grades 2 through 12 through a minimum of eight hours of programming around physical activity and nutrition. 4-H Healthy Living Ambassador  program, focuses on positive youth development of older youth through activities focused around 4-H Healthy Living, including health, nutrition and fitness, social and emotional well-being, and leadership skills. 

              Programs include:

                           Learn, Grow, Eat, Go and using Teens as Teachers

Access to healthy foods is strongly influenced by where someone lives. People in rural or underserved areas of North Carolina are particularly affected by lack of access to stores where they can purchase ingredients for healthy meals.

Exercise is linked to positive physical, psychological, and social outcomes. Communities that create spaces for physical activity have healthier people with decreased risks of obesity, heart disease, and other chronic conditions that increase morbidity and mortality.

Access to health education and screenings plays a role in boosting or inhibiting someone's ability to make healthy choices.

When Brunswick County residents have access to healthy foods and exercise opportunities, we anticipate seeing:

• A reduction in the number of deaths due to chronic diseases
• Improvements made to park facilities
• Expansion of senior center facilities
• Increased access to exercise classes and recreational activities
• Improved access to affordable and nutritious foods
• Increased access to health education and screenings 

Results of the community health opinion survey (CHOS) showed that 19.6% of Brunswick residents considered chronic disease to be the biggest health concern in their community. When participants of focus groups were asked the same question, chronic disease was also the most selected response.

Brunswick County survey respondents were asked what areas needed improvement in their communities, with 28.5% of focus group and 21% of CHOS respondents selecting better/more recreational facilities such as parks, trails, community centers. CHOS respondents were also asked how they would improve their health if they could, to which 54% of respondents said eating healthy food and 50% said by exercising. These responses also align with the Healthy NC 2030 Chronic Disease indicators:

Access to Exercise Opportunities

Increase Physical Activity

Brunswick County: 76%

2030 Target: 92%

Access to Healthy Food

Improve Access to Healthy Food

Brunswick County: 6%

2030 Target: 5%

To measure these conditions, we will collect and review annual data. Local program data will be used to measure participation in evidence-based programs and initiatives. Changes in community perception of identified health concerns will be measured through pre/post tests and surveys asking corresponding questions from the CHOS and focus group surveys. This will enable us to examine the effectiveness of the programs and initiatives.

Seven of the top ten leading causes of death in Brunswick County are chronic diseases. Diabetes mellitus is the seventh leading cause of death in Brunswick County. The diagnosed diabetes prevalence in Brunswick has been trending upwards since 2014, from 11.4 to 12.8 in 2016. Community health opinion survey (CHOS) respondents selected diabetes as the most needed health screening in the county. Disparities in diabetes mortality also exist among race and gender. Between 2013-2017 the diabetes mortality rates were 24.8 male, 12.6 female, 17.1 White, and 25.1 African American.

Data from 2018 shows that 14% of Brunswick County residents are food insecure and 6% have limited access to healthy foods. Food insecurity is considered the disruption of nutritious food consumption due to lack of money and other resources, where limited access to healthy foods refers to people who do not live in close proximity to a grocery store. Brunswick County also has a significantly higher percentage of children living in households that are considered poor or low-income and food insecure when compared to the state and peer counties. Nutrition is vital to human growth and development, and poor or low-income homes may struggle to maintain adequate nutrition. 

Exercise fosters growth and development, improves brain health, and reduces the risk of many chronic diseases. Based on the data available, Brunswick County is slightly ahead of the state average for access to exercise opportunities, but has a lower percentage compared to Carteret at 91%, New Hanover at 87% and the Healthy NC 2030 goal of 93%.

Brunswick Wellness Coalition

Cooperative Extension

Brunswick Senior Resources

Brunswick County Health Services

Brunswick County Parks and Rec

Cape Fear Food Council