HEALTH CARE FOOD AND ACTIVITY ENVIRONMENTS

ENACT STRATEGY: Role Models

Health providers and institutions that “walk the talk” by making changes themselves will feel more comfortable advocating healthy behaviors with their patients

As parents are role models for their children, so are physicians and other medical professionals role models for their patients. Physicians who screen and counsel their patients on nutrition and physical activity habits can influence patient behavior by leading by example. In addition, health providers can influence organizational policies and practices to promote healthy eating and activity within the facility. For example, physicians can start a hospital farmer's market, and nurses can rally to get healthy vending machine products.

Characteristics of a role model include

• Adopting and maintaining healthy nutrition and physical activity patterns.
• Assessing your health and fitness.
• Sharing your successes with your patients.

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Programs

WIC Walks the Talk
Started by the California WIC Association, WIC Walks the Talk promotes employees to be role models for physical activity to their clients. This program is a model for other healthcare environments where acting as a role model can encourage and motivate patients to become more physically active.

Produce to the People (PDF)

Dr. Preston Maring describes his successful efforts to bring a farmer’s market to Kaiser Permanente Oakland in the Permanente Journal.

"Healthiest Family Medicine Office in America"

Americans In Motion (AIM) launched this challenge to all American Academy of Family Physician members to have their office staff participate in a six-week fitness program. More than 1,700 individuals signed up to participate and nearly 600 completed, logging more than 258 million steps.

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Tools

Practical Advice for Family Physicians to Help Overweight Patients (PDF)
This American Family Physician monograph is designed to give doctors useful tools, new perspectives, and helpful resources in working with overweight patients.

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Organizations and Coalitions

Americans in Motion (AIM)
AIM is an exciting initiative at the American Academy of Family Physicians that aims to “improve the health of all Americans by implementing a multifaceted fitness program addressing physical activity, nutrition, and emotional well-being in the individual, family and community.” Physicians across the country have signed up and are now acting as role models to their patients.

Kaiser Permanente

Kaiser Permanente, a healthcare organization with clinics and hospitals across the United States, has almost 30 on-site farmer's markets that support healthy eating opportunities for patients, staff, and the community.

Health Care Without Harm

Health Care Without Harm is an international organization working with hospitals to improve their food purchasing practice to support health and the environment.

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