OUR APPROACH

"It is unreasonable to expect that people will change their behavior so easily when so many forces in the social, cultural, and physical environment conspire against change. If successful programs are to be developed to prevent disease and improve health, attention must be given not only to the behavior of individuals, but also to the environmental context within which people live."
-Institute of Medicine

The Strategic Alliance encourages environmental solutions and corporate and government policies and practices that support healthy eating and activity.

The environment around us is a major determinant of our health and well-being. Far more than just air or water, the term environment is also "anything external to individuals shared by members of the community." Physical activity and nutrition are complex behaviors that are inextricably linked to the environments in which we live, work and play. While education is one part of the solution, community-level interventions to improve the environments where people make choices about what to eat or how to get active are essential to improving overall health and well-being.