North Carolina Institute for Public Health

As a partner in community health endeavors, the Institute aligns its program priorities with those in public health practice. Ask local public health directors what their community health priorities are, and addressing obesity and its ill effects is always on the list.

Numerous business plans and projects have evolved from programs within the Institute's Office of Executive Education, such as the Management Academy for Public Health (MAPH). More than forty business plans around fitness, wellness, obesity, nutrition, and weight management have been crafted by MAPH teams. These plans are either now in place or slated to be in the team's local health department.

The North Carolina Public Health Incubator Collaboratives, innovative coalitions of health departments, have also been sharing resources to combat obesity, diabetes, and heart disease. Incubator projects have focused on senior health, diabetes awareness and prevention, and cardiovascular disease and stroke education and prevention targeting at-risk African Americans involving faith-based partners.

Last year the Institute dedicated an issue of its quarterly newsletter IMPACT to the obesity epidemic, including wellness efforts among Institute staff to exemplify important public health messages.

NCIPH staff enjoying a salad potluck.