How to improve healthcare in rural areas PDF

Good nutrition is essential for health, growth, and development. Excessive calorie consumption, however, can lead to overweight and obesity and associated health risks, especially when paired with too little physical activity. Obesity rates are higher in rural areas than in urban and suburban areas. Increasing opportunities for exercise and access to healthy foods in neighborhoods, schools, and workplaces can help children and adults eat healthy meals and reach recommended daily physical activity levels. Examples of specific strategies to improve diet and increase exercise include:

Activity programs for older adults (SS) *
Offer group educational, social, or physical activities that promote social interactions, regular attendance, and community involvement among older adults

Farm to school programs (SE) *
Incorporate locally grown foods into school meals and snacks, often with visits from food producers, cooking classes, nutrition and waste reduction efforts, and school gardens

Farmers’ markets/stands (SE) *
Support multiple or single vendor markets where producers sell goods such as fresh fruit and vegetables, meat, dairy items, and prepared foods directly to consumers

Healthy food initiatives in food banks (SE)
Combine hunger relief efforts with nutrition information and healthy eating opportunities, often with on-site cooking demonstrations, recipe tastings, produce display stands, etc.

Places for physical activity (SS) *
Modify local environments to support physical activity, increase access to new or existing facilities for physical activity, or build new facilities

Prescriptions for physical activity (SS)
Provide prescriptions with individually tailored exercise plans, often accompanied by progress checks at office visits, counseling, activity logs, and exercise testing

School breakfast programs (SS)
Support programs that provide students with a nutritious breakfast in the cafeteria, from grab and go carts in hallways, or in classrooms

Screen time interventions for children (SS)
Encourage children to spend time away from TV and other screen media, often as part of a multi-faceted effort to increase physical activity and improve nutrition

* What Works for Health materials include rural-focused resources or studies