Steps to a Healthier New Orleans

	Steps to a Healthier New Orleans
2004
The Steps to a HealthierUS 5-year cooperative agreement program funds States, cities, and tribal entities to implement chronic disease prevention efforts focused on reducing the burden of diabetes, overweight, obesity, and asthma and addressing three related risk factors: physical inactivity, poor nutrition, and tobacco use. For FY 2003, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) allocated $13.6 million to fund 24 communities, including New Orleans; in FY 2004, HHS allocated $35.8 million to increase funding to the existing 24 communities and to fund an additional 16, for a total of 40 communities. Project Area City of New Orleans (population 485,000). Target Population Low-income city residents, particularly African Americans. Steps Activities Media Implement a mass media campaign designed to promote "utilitarian" physical activity that is incorporated into daily life, increased consumption of fruits and vegetables, and reduced consumption of high-calorie snack foods. Policy and Environmental Changes Develop neighborhood walking and bicycling plans to build a more walkable and bikeable city. Collaborate with farmers' markets, informal produce sellers, and community gardens to increase the neighborhood-level accessibility of fruits and vegetables. Revitalize city playgrounds. School Educate school food service staff on purchasing and preparing healthier foods. Monitor foods served in school cafeterias for calorie density and content of fruits and vegetables. Implement a policy to eliminate the availability of junk foods in schools. Develop a plan to increase time for physical education and recess. Create a system to link asthmatic children with primary care providers. Provide asthma education for teachers, nurses, and parents of children with asthma. Implement a smoke-free schools initiative. Community Implement organized programs to promote physical activity and healthy eating. Identify people with undiagnosed diabetes. Promote health through church-based nurses and lay health educators. Health Care Improve care of diabetes through a multi-clinic diabetes care registry. Provide asthma education for primary care providers. Evaluation HHS will provide training and technical assistance to help each Steps community develop measurable program objectives and specific indicators of progress and use relevant data to support ongoing program improvement. HHS will also conduct a national evaluation of the entire program. Existing data sources, such as the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System and the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System, will be used to identify and measure program outcomes and assess progress toward program goals. Community Partners New Orleans Health Department, Mayor's Office of Health Policy, Louisiana Public Health Institute, Tulane University, Louisiana State University, Daughters of Charity Services of New Orleans, Louisiana Council on Obesity Prevention and Management, EXCELth, Healthy Lifestyle Choices, Baptist Community Ministries, American Heart Association, American Lung Association, Black Women's Health Project of Louisiana, and New Orleans Public Schools. New Orleans Steps Contact Kevin Stephens, M.D., J.D. Director of Health New Orleans Health Department 1300 Perdido Street New Orleans, LA 70112 (504) 565-6905 (504) 565-6916 fax kevinste@new-orleans.la.us Return to Community Fact Sheets