Johnson Donna B, Smith Lynne T
Center for Public Health Nutrition and Nutritional Sciences Program, University of Washington, PO Box 353410, Seattle, WA 98195, USA.
Prev Chronic Dis. 2006 Apr;3(2):A59. Epub 2006 Mar 15.
The Washington State Nutrition and Physical Activity Plan provides a framework in which policy makers can work together to build and support healthy environments for nutrition and physical activity. The city of Moses Lake, Wash, was chosen to serve as a pilot site to test the conceptual approaches and recommendations of the plan and to develop a model for healthy communities elsewhere in the state.
Moses Lake is an ethnically diverse, geographically isolated town with a population of about 15,000.
An advisory committee used data from an inventory of local policies and environments, along with the recommendations from the state plan, to develop a plan for Healthy Communities Moses Lake. Three initiatives were chosen for the first actions: a connected system of trails and paths, enhanced facilities for breastfeeding in the community, and a community garden.
Records of cumulative actions demonstrated that Healthy Communities Moses Lake continued to be an active and productive project. Initial measures of success were collected by each of the three first action teams. Environmental changes will be monitored by comparison with the initial inventory of local policies. Long-term health outcomes in Moses Lake will be monitored by the Washington State Department of Health.
Healthy Communities Moses Lake was successful because the city had leaders and volunteers who were committed to making the city a healthier place. Lessons learned about community-based planning and evaluation are now being applied to Healthy Communities initiatives.
华盛顿州营养与身体活动计划提供了一个框架，政策制定者可在此框架内共同努力，营造并支持有利于营养与身体活动的健康环境。华盛顿州的摩西湖市被选为试点，以测试该计划的概念方法和建议，并为该州其他地区的健康社区开发一个模式。
摩西湖是一个种族多样、地理位置偏远的城镇，人口约1.5万。
一个咨询委员会利用当地政策和环境清单中的数据，以及该州计划的建议，制定了摩西湖健康社区计划。首批行动选定了三项举措：一个相连的步道系统、社区内强化的母乳喂养设施以及一个社区花园。
累积行动记录表明，摩西湖健康社区仍然是一个积极且富有成效的项目。首批三个行动小组各自收集了初步的成功指标。将通过与当地政策的初始清单进行比较来监测环境变化。华盛顿州卫生部将监测摩西湖的长期健康结果。
摩西湖健康社区取得成功是因为该市有致力于让城市变得更健康的领导者和志愿者。从基于社区的规划和评估中学到的经验教训现在正应用于健康社区倡议。
