PRESS RELEASE DETAIL
For release: IMMEDIATELY
Release Date: 01/16/2015
Baton Rouge one of seven cities selected for NLC Collaborative on Health Disparities
Baton Rouge is one of seven cities selected by the National League of Cities’ (NLC) Institute for Youth, Education, and Families to participate in a Learning Collaborative on Health Disparities.
The purpose of the collaborative process is to develop and frame emerging city-level strategies to reduce critical childhood obesity-related health disparities, commonly defined as poor health outcomes linked to social, economic and physical barriers faced by many low-income communities and communities of color.
Childhood obesity is one of several areas that are included in Mayor-President Melvin L. “Kip” Holden’s Healthy City Initiative that encourages healthy eating and active lifestyles. The Initiative’s programs include the Red Stick Mobile Farmers Market and the Healthy Corner Store Initiative that increase inner-city access to fresh fruit and produce, and active after-school programs that encourage children to minimize screen time and increase physical activity.
“The selection of Baton Rouge for this national project is due in part to the success of our Healthy City initiative, a program that we launched in response to the growing national obesity problem and the related chronic diseases,” Mayor Holden said.
Baton Rouge and the other six cities were chosen for the NLC Collaborative based on their documented health disparities, commitment and readiness to preventing childhood obesity-related health disparities and ability to form strong and diverse partnerships. As a result of the Collaborative, the seven pilot cities will gain new insights on how health disparities are perceived in their communities and hear ideas from local policymakers and their community partners on how to increase access to affordable, healthy foods and opportunities for physical activity at the local level.
In addition to Baton Rouge, other cities selected for the project are: Cleveland, Ohio; Kansas City, Kan.; Lincoln, Neb.; Oklahoma City, Okla.; Savannah, Ga.; and Virginia Beach, Va.
Studies have shown that residents of low-income communities and communities of color are more likely to experience poor health. The seven pilot cities will focus their health disparities work on increasing access to high-quality, affordable foods and increasing opportunities for physical activity by improving the built environment in communities with the highest disparities.
Evidence suggests that effective interventions in these two areas may have significant and long-lasting impacts in preventing childhood obesity.
Over the next six months, each city will receive technical assistance from NLC to develop an early blueprint for local action, to be completed in June. They will also have numerous opportunities for peer learning and receive access to best practices and national experts in order to deepen their understanding of obesity-related health disparities.
Ensuring all children have the opportunity to grow up healthy and thrive is imperative to the future success of our cities,” said NLC President Ralph Becker, mayor, Salt Lake City, Utah. "I commend these cities for their commitment and willingness to build healthier communities and to reduce critical disparities that prevent children from reaching their full potential.”
This project is a part of the National League of Cities’ work to accelerate local efforts to create healthy communities and is made possible by a grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.