All communities need access to healthy foods and safe places to play and be active—but not all communities enjoy equal access to these vital means of health. We take a systems approach to improving access to healthy foods and opportunities for physical activity—working across a spectrum of issues, from agriculture, education, land use and transportation, to economic development, industry regulation, and safety. We believe health equity should be the core goal in our national efforts to reduce diet- and activity-related chronic disease, and our work strives to understand how communities experiencing inequities can be best supported in the creation of neighborhoods, cities, and regions that foster health. Through a focus on federal policy, along with state and local research, consultation, and capacity building, we promote cross-sector, equity-focused solutions to promote healthy food and activity environments.

Healthy Food & Active Environments > Content Buckets
Healthy Food & Active Environments > Content Buckets
Healthy Food & Active Environments > Content Buckets
Healthy Food & Active Environments > Content Buckets

Highlights neighborhood-level changes to the built environment that can have a positive influence on the health of community residents, especially in low-income communities. The profiles demonstrate how health practitioners, community members and many others can work together to improve community well-being by making changes to the built environment.

For Community Farm Alliance (CFA), the health and prosperity of Kentucky’s urban residents is inextricably linked to a thriving rural economy. Using a blend of economic development, youth development, and community development principals, CFA promotes sales and consumption of food grown by rural family farmers. The group hopes to increase access to healthy, affordable food throughout Kentucky, including the state’s urban, African American communities.

Community Coalition reduces violence and crime by closing neighborhood liquor stores.

South Los Angeles has an African American cultural tradition marked by rich culinary, artistic, musical, and architectural achievements. Today, South LA is predominantly Latino. In the late 1980’s, the area’s struggles with crime and violence intensified during the crack cocaine epidemic. Crisis levels of homicide became a catalyst for community activists and leaders to search for tangible ways to halt the substance abuse and violence that were tearing apart the community.

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