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March 29, 2010

Cherokee Nation to promote healthy eating, tobacco cessation efforts

TAHLEQUAH — As part of its ongoing community campaign to combat obesity, smoking and other preventable health risks, Cherokee Nation announced in a media release it is developing additional strategies to promote healthy eating, physical activity and increase tobacco cessation throughout the tribe’s jurisdictional boundaries.

“Our goal is have healthy and happy people and families in our communities,” said Chad Smith, principal chief of the Cherokee Nation. “These educational efforts and policy implementations will help us better achieve that goal.”

The tribe is partnering with U.S. Health and Human Services and the Centers for Disease Control. Cherokee Nation was one of 44 entities across the United States chosen to receive funding through a special Communities Putting Prevention to Work grant through the American Recovery & Reinvestment Act.

To combat obesity, localized media strategies will be developed to promote healthy food and beverage choices. In addition, the tribe will work closely with schools in the area to limit unhealthy food and beverage availability, implement farm-to-school programs, adopt quality physical education courses and activities, increase safe, attractive and accessible places in communities for physical activities, adopt procurement and purchasing policies, implement menu labeling, reduce the cost of recreation services, and help expand activity groups in workplaces, community centers, parks and neighborhoods.

Along with its existing tobacco use prevention efforts, the Nation will help communities and businesses implement tobacco-free policies, develop product placement guidelines for tribal-owned businesses and increase access to cessation services for citizens and other residents of tribal areas.

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