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Obesity Prevention

Programs and Initiatives

In the spring of 2006, the Obesity Prevention Committee received approximately $511,000 from Kate B. Reynolds Foundation and Cape Fear Memorial Foundation to establish Obesity Prevention Initiatives (OPI). The UNCW Division for Public Service and Continuing Studies' Vice Chancellor organized Obesity Prevention Initiatives (OPI) to identify ways that the University could address the obesity problem. The money allowed OPI to help coordinate and promote obesity prevention programs and initiatives within the community. In addition, Kate B. Reynolds funded the following partner initiatives:

  1. The Wilmington Family YMCA received funding to provide a Nutrition, Exercise, and Wellness program for several Wilmington Housing Authority youth and their families.
  2. Wilmington Health Access for Teens received funding to provide peer health education and support for overweight adolescents that want to lose weight.
  3. Wilmington Housing Authority will use funding to plant and maintain a community garden at a public housing development.
  4. Partnership for Children received funding for a Lay Health Advisor to provide nutrition and physical activity information to Latino women and their children.
  5. Child Advocacy Commission will provide an interactive nutrition curriculum "Miss Magic Apron" to child daycare providers in the community.
  6. New Hanover County Schools will purchase Recess Packs for 11 elementary schools to help students increase physical activity during recess.

The Obesity Prevention Committee is working with Community Partners on other important projects designed to improve health outcomes such as:

Winner's Circle is a menu-labeling system that helps consumers identify healthy food choices when they dine away from home. This program has been implemented in all 39 New Hanover County Schools. In addition, this program will be implemented on UNCW's campus and some area restaurants starting in 2007.

Wilmington Walks is a community-based effort to fight obesity in the Cape Fear region through education and programming. Wilmington Walks provides brochures, maps, signs, and trail markers to help establish safe walking paths in neighborhoods throughout the community. The first trail was established in the Forest Hills neighborhood in May 2006. The Downtown Loop was established in November 2006 for people who work, live and get exercise downtown.

Click here for Wilmington Walks Tools