Partners for a Healthier Community

Healthy City Fall River Action Priority Summary Page
This is one of five pages that describe an Action Priority that was selected for a focus in 2004. Participants in the Healthy City Summit held on March 25th outlined specific targeted activities that will address one or more identified problems and challenges supported by data indicators. A complete report summarizing all activities specific to this priority area is currently being prepared by members of the Healthy City Fall River Design Team with the assistance of the Healthy City Coordinator.
	Health Education: Voted third in importance, this Priority Area will included goals focused on 1) nutrition and diabetes education; 2) tobacco education and 3) physical fitness education.
Though the population of Fall River have access to a broad range of excellent health care facilities and, in general, takes advantage of access to early detection of disease, too many of the City's residents are overweight, inactive and smoke cigarettes. This Priority Area seeks to begin to reduce the higher-than-state-average incidence of preventable disorders such as heart disease, diabetes and lung cancer.
Data indicators that support the recognition of problems and challenges: (click underlined text to link with data source)	Current activities that are directed to improvements or problem resolution (click underlined text to link with web-based information about the activity)
While the percentage of persons who are 20% over their ideal weight in Fall River is similar to the state and national averages, overweight and obesity remain significant health challenges due to their association with increased rates of diabetes and heart disease, rates of which are significantly higher in Fall River and Bristol County. This is part of an obesity crisis in Massachusetts schools and a national crisis in childhood obesity.	A $350,000 grant to the Fall River Schools will enable the physical education program to move traditional physical education away from a sports based emphasis to a wellness model. A wellness center will be constructed at B.M.C. Durfee High School to provide physical health and fitness instruction to students using personal fitness equipment. The program will provide a personal health assessment for each student and will establish and monitor personal fitness goals. The statewide Mass Moves program promotes physical fitness.
	The Mayor's Child Nutrition Partnership is reviewing the nutrition of thousands of meals served to Fall River youth in a variety of settings.
The percentage of adults who participated in any leisure-time physical activity in the past month in the Greater Fall River Area (26.8%) was significantly lower than the state average (31%) and does not meet the national Healthy People 2010 goal of (30%). Lower physical activity levels are strongly associated with higher rates of cardiovascular disease, diabetes and some cancers.	The Diabetes Association provides "Keep Moving" a new program for families at risk of developing diabetes. This six-week program is open to all families interested in learning more about living a healthier lifestyle and provides one hour of a physical activity and one hour of nutritional instruction and information. A statewide Diabetes Prevention and Control program monitors outcomes on a statewide basis.
	The Doran Elementary school teamed up with the Diabetes Association to run the Feelin' Good Mileage Club in which students walk for 20 minutes after lunch every day.
	The YMCA of Greater Fall River runs Fit Kids Programs in their after school and pre school programs that includes an hour a day of physical activity. This is in addition to a full program of sports and fitness activities for youth and adults.
	Seniors at each of the City's four Council on Aging locations participate in the Senior Life Fit program run by staff of the YMCA of Greater Fall River .
	The Quaker Fabric Corporation is working with the Diabetes Association's Employer Outreach Program on a two-year effort to train supervisory staff in recognizing and preventing diabetes among its employees.
	The Healthy Lifestyles Work Group of Partners for a Healthier Community is promoting a number of programs designed to address the problem of childhood obesity in the City of Fall River in collaboration with the Massachusetts Partnership for Healthy Weight.
	The Five-A-Day Coalition promotes improved nutrition throughout Southeastern Massachusetts. Contact Pat Bebo at U-Mass-Dartmouth for further information about activities and meetings..
The rate of tobacco use is significantly higher (28%) among adults in the City of Fall River than the state as a whole (18%) leading to significantly higher rates of cardiovascular disease and cancer.	The Southcoast Hospital Group provides tobacco education through the Tar Wars program an educational program about the effects of tobacco use provided to 4th graders of the Spencer Borden, Greene, N.B. Borden, Osborne, Watson, Laurel Lake, Lincoln, Wixon and Duran Schools.
	Partners for Clean Air is developing smoking cessation resources through St. Anne's Hospital's Community Benefits program, including links to Quit Works and training for local businesses in preparation for upcoming restrictions on smoking in public places. The Partners will also distribute stickers and invite local resident to designate Smoke Free Zones in their homes and automobiles. This program is part of the Massachusetts Tobacco Control Program.


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