Profile of High Obesity Areas in: North Carolina

Obesity is a major health problem on a national level, butit is particularly persistent in certain areas. The Centersfor Disease Control and Prevention\u2019s (CDC) Programs toReduce Obesity in High Obesity Areas to Boost Preventioncooperative agreement is focusing on these places. CDC\u2019sDivision of Nutrition, Physical Activity and Obesity (DNPAO)expanded the original 2014 pilot Programs to ReduceObesity in High Obesity Areas cooperative agreementto combat the obesity problem using environmentalapproaches and to help reduce adverse health outcomessuch as diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, and somecancers in additional places.The High Obesity Program funds land grant universitiesin states with some of the highest obesity areas of thecountry, specifically, states with counties where morethan 40% of the adult population is obese. Granteescollaborate with existing cooperative extension andoutreach services at the county level in their states todevelop obesity solutions.Grantees put into action a set of evidence-based strategiesin the community setting.North Carolina (NC) State University is workingwith communities in Edgecombe, Halifax, Lee, andNorthampton counties to integrate NC State Extensionprograms with county-based efforts to promotehealthy eating and physical activity in several sectorsthat include faith communities, parks, schools, andout-of-school settings. Activities include increasingaccess to healthy and local foods, implementinghealthy eating standards in retail food establishments,supporting healthy eating and physical activitystandards with out-of-school time programs,connecting neighborhoods to parks, playgrounds,trails and nature areas for children and families, andimplementing shared use agreements and ActiveRoutes to School programs.201