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Fit Together
The dramatic increase in obesity in NC and across the country has serious
health implications. Obesity has been linked to chronic diseases such as heart
disease, diabetes, and several types of cancer. It is estimated that
obesity-related medical expenses in North Carolina add up to more than $2.1
billion, with just over half of that coming at the expense of state taxpayers
via Medicare and Medicaid. Killing nearly 300,000 people last year, unhealthy
weight is positioned to overtake tobacco as the leading cause of preventable
death in the U.S.
Increased physical activity and healthier food choices are considered essential
elements in preventing obesity and maintaining good health. To promote these
cornerstone principles, the NC Health and Wellness Trust Fund (HWTF) has joined
with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina (BCBSNC) to launch Fit
Together - a statewide campaign designed to raise awareness around the dangers
of unhealthy weight and more importantly equip individuals, families and
communities with the tools they need to address this very serious health
concern.
Through a content-rich website (www.fittogethernc.org) and a television
campaign, Fit Together will help individuals and communities assess their
health risk and equip them with the tools needed to get healthier. Tools such
as web-based personal health assessment will direct you to local resources in
your own community. You can also learn about the status of physical education
and nutrition policies in your local schools, and see real examples of NC
communities that have made significant changes in their schools, worksites
or neighborhoods that led to things such as daily PE for kids, lower
insurance premiums for employers, or more sidewalks and greenways in
neighborhoods.
Further, the HWTF has established 20 community-based and statewide obesity
prevention programs that will receive guidance and training from public health
experts at Duke University Medical Center. Valuable lessons learned from these
real-world laboratories will be captured by experts from ECU’s Brody School of
Medicine and converted into “best practices” that can provide practical
guidance for civic, school and business leaders across North Carolina who are
motivated to improve the health of their communities. These and many other
model programs will be featured in the Fit Together campaign and on the
website.
There is no quick or easy fix for obesity in NC. We must all work together…to
involve individuals, families, schools, business and industry, faith-based
organizations, local municipalities, and many others. Obesity is preventable,
but it requires everyone working to Fit Together.
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