A healthier lifestyle, through improved nutrition and exercise habits, poses positive implications for immediate- and long-term health outcomes. In Polk County, between 2018-2022, diseases of the heart were among the top three leading causes of death in the 40-64, 65-84, and 85+ age groups. Although heart disease and other chronic illnesses are positively associated with aging (that is, the older the individual, the greater the risk for chronic illness), studies also suggest that one third of deaths due to heart disease may be preventable through lifestyle changes, including diet and exercise improvements (Lanier, JB, et al., 2016). Moreover, obesity, rising in prevalence across the nation, is a leading contributor to all-age morbidity and mortality.

Improved exercise and nutrition are linked to improved physical health and psychosocial well-being, through averting the risk of obesity, chronic illness, and impaired productivity and mobility, among other factors. We believe strengthening community connection will create a culture of accountability and mutual support for healthy living. 

Lanier JB, Bury DC, Richardson SW. Diet and Physical Activity for Cardiovascular Disease Prevention. Am Fam Physician. 2016 Jun 1;93(11):919-24. PMID: 27281836.

Planning Process

The selected strategies, activities, indicators, and results are a product of a collaboratively-produced logic model, whereby a team of community stakeholders with interest or expertise in Healthy Eating/Active Living voted upon evidence-based strategies and developed plans to implement them.

The following image depicts the logic model with potential strategies, which we consider as the blueprint for our process. Components of the logic model, such as inputs/resources needed or desired outcomes (like results), inform our strategic actions to improve Polk County's healthy eating and active living outcomes:

**CLICK THE FOLLOWING LINK TO DOWNLOAD THE LOGIC MODEL: (HEALLogicModel.docx)**

Strategies Considered

The following is the complete list of partner-provided strategies (some evidence-based) that were considered as ideas for "what can work" to improve HEAL outcomes and voted upon. Although not all strategies could be implemented through our Community Health Improvement Plan, some are still being considered for implementation in the community beyond this cycle:

• Community fitness programs
• Community-based social support for physical activity
• Places for physical activity
• Multi-component obesity prevention interventions
• Exercise prescriptions
• Worksite obesity prevention interventions
• Screen time interventions for children
• Healthful Living Standard Course of Study in schools, which includes physical health portion
• Chronic disease self-management education programs, such as Better Choices, Better Health (R)
• Recipes for Connection: Neighborhood potlucks to combat loneliness
• Regulate sugar consumption in schools, including candy offered to children, sugar-rich foods in school-provided meals
• Farm to school programs

Our aim to promote healthier, more active lifestyles connects to several, relevant HNC2030 indicators and results, such as Desired Results 7 (Increase Physical Activity), 8 (Improve Access to Healthy Foods), and 13 (Reduce Overweight and Obesity). We seek to support these aims, in tandem with our own, to encourage healthier lifestyles from the exercise and nutrition perspective in Polk County and beyond.