October 4, 2022
The Community Health Corner
Submitted by Stephanie Gutierrez
Community health uses science-based approaches for the greatest health benefit to the greatest number of people by addressing the social, economic and structural drivers that impact everyone's health. The National Extension Framework for Health Equity and Well-being recommends using community development practices to ensure that every person has the opportunity to "attain his or her full health potential," and no one is "disadvantaged from achieving this potential because of social position or other socially determined circumstances." The following tools and resources can be used to improve health equity and well-being by working with communities to achieve the nation's Healthy People 2030 objectives.
READ NOW: The 19th annual State of Obesity: Better Policies for a Healthier America report, released by Trust for America's Health (TFAH), finds that obesity rates continue to climb nationwide and within population groups. These persistent increases underscore that obesity is caused by a combination of factors, including societal, biological, genetic and environmental, which are beyond personal choice. Addressing the obesity crisis will require attending to the economic and structural factors of where and how people live. The report amplifies the importance of the White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition and Health, happening tomorrow. The Conference and the report are intended to spotlight the links between hunger, nutrition, health, and diet-related diseases, including obesity, and recommend needed policy action. Learn more here.
USE NOW: Last week, the FDA's Center for Tobacco Products (CTP) is announcing the launch of our Vaping Prevention and Education Resource Center. The online resource center provides science-based, standards-mapped materials that teachers and public health professionals can use to help students understand the dangers associated with vaping and nicotine addiction.
EXPLORE NOW: Children's Environmental Health Day will take place on October 13. The day's focus will be to raise the visibility of children's health issues, celebrate successes in the field, share exciting new initiatives, and discuss new challenges and the road ahead. Click here for more information.
For more information, contact Elaine Johannes, ejohanne@ksu.edu; and Stephanie Gutierrez, smgutier@k-state.edu.