With local farmers' markets selling fresh produce and warm weather for a variety of outdoor activities, summer is a great time to get back on track working towards those goals, according to a statewide program designed to improve the health of residents.
During the month of July, farmers' markets across the state will be the site of "Eat Smart, Move More…NC" events that encourage people to eat more fruits and vegetables and increase their levels of physical activity. Led by local coalitions, the events will focus on "New Year's in July: Revisiting Resol-utions."
According to a Harris Interactive poll conducted this past January, the top three New Year's resolutions for 2006 were to exercise more, lose weight and eat a healthier diet.
It has been six months since North Carolinians took the important step of setting resolutions to adopt healthier lifestyles, and now is the time to re-visit and re-establish their commitment to those goals.
"People often get frustrated when they don't achieve their resolutions the first time around," said Sheree Vodicka, healthy weight communications coordinator for the Division of Public Health. "However, what people need to realize is that behavior change is a continuous process. More often than not, failure is a part of that process -- but it doesn't have to be the endpoint. Simply by going to a farmer's market, people are demonstrating a desire to eat healthier foods. All they need is a little push."
At the statewide events, consumers will be given tips on how to more successfully strive towards achieving their resolutions.
Eating the recommended five to nine servings of fruits and vegetables and getting at least 30 minutes of physical activity a day are important steps in maintaining a healthy weight. Overweight and inactivity put both children and adults at increased risk for serious chronic diseases including heart disease, cancer, stroke and diabetes.
Recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) show that North Carolinians are among some of the heaviest people in the U.S. More than 30 percent of North Carolina children are overweight or at risk for overweight.
Obesity rates among North Carolina adults have almost doubled since 1990, when the rate was 12.9 percent -- by 2002, the rate had ballooned to 23.5 percent.
