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U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Healthy Weight for Life

Actions for Communities

American Indians and Alaska Natives need to live, work, and play in healthy communities that support and foster healthy lifestyle behaviors. Tribal leaders and governments, schools, worksites, and other community organizations need to work together to pool their resources and to ensure that AI/AN have access to healthful foods and safe places to make physical activity a part of their daily routine. Ideally, every neighborhood and community will become actively involved and community members will work closely with community leaders to make the changes needed to support healthy lifestyles.

Tribal Leaders and government can promote healthful eating food choices and opportunities to engage in physical activity in the communities

  • Ensure that all community members have enough healthful food by filling in the gaps in case of shortages.
  • Promote efforts to provide fruits and vegetables in a variety of settings such as farmers markets, mobile markets, and community gardens.
  • Increase participation in Federal, State, and local government nutrition assistance programs to maximize AI/AN access to healthful foods.
  • Increase access to free and safe drinking water. Increase availability of healthful, affordable food and beverage choices in Tribal facilities.
  • Encourage changes in the built environment to increase opportunities for physical activity, such as safe walkways, safe streets, traffic laws, more playgrounds, and the repair of dilapidated gyms.
  • Promote successful Tribal community planning and land use decisions to develop and maintain safe, attractive parks and playgrounds near residential areas.

Schools, childcare centers, Head Start and youth programs can create environments that are supportive of healthy eating and physical activity

  • Offer nutrition education and weight management counseling to all women planning pregnancy and to pregnant women.
  • Create a school/childcare/head start wellness team to promote a healthy school environment where students can make healthy lifestyle choices.
  • Provide a healthier food options in lunch rooms, vending machines, and school stores that are low in saturated fat, calories, and added sugars.
  • Offer training to teachers and school administrators about healthful eating habits for themselves and their students.
  • Offer school food service managers to be well trained in food preparation techniques to provide school meals that are lower in saturated fat, sodium, and sugar.
  • Prohibit schools from displaying advertisements promoting junk foods on vending machines or in other places.
  • Provide media literacy to help students and parents become informed consumers to make healthy choices.
  • Offer access at schools to extended education programs, including parenting classes and cooking classes. Provide a varied and balanced diet that emphasizes minimally processed foods.
  • Establish school policies related to time, space, and facilities for daily physical activity—including physical education classes from Head Start through high school—to help students participate in at least 60 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity each day.
  • Ensure daily, quality physical education in all school grades. Hire certified physical education specialists to provide this teaching.

Worksites and businesses to promote healthy eating and physical activity

  • Establish worksite policies and programs that promote access to healthful food choices and physical activity.
  • Establish workplace policies to promote breastfeeding.
  • Offer nutrition education programs to employees on healthful eating.
  • Offer healthful foods and beverages at business meetings and conferences.
  • Promote and offer healthy weight support groups for employees.
  • Create more opportunities for structured physical activity either at worksites or off site at nearby recreational facilities.
  • Create incentives for employees to engage in physical activity during lunch, before work, and after work (e.g., walking clubs, extra half hour during lunch for physical activity, or recognition of exercisers).

Community organizations can support access to healthy foods and physical activity

  • Encourage environmental changes for increasing access to healthful foods, including neighborhood gardens, farmers markets, and healthful food and beverage choices in grocery stores.
  • Promote adoption of healthful traditional foods and food preparation practices that encourage a resurgence of cultural pride.
  • Offer parenting and caregiver education that encourages, supports, and models healthful eating habits for families and children.
  • Offer families food budgeting, healthful food shopping, and cooking classes that combine nutrition education with hands-on meal planning and cooking techniques.
  • Make community facilities accessible for physical activity for all people, including the elderly.
  • Assess community perceptions of regular physical activity and produce a social marketing campaign to promote physical activity across the lifespan.
  • Offer culturally appropriate community education and activity programs to promote regular physical activity, such as hiking, swimming, canoeing, and horseback riding.