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Funding Period:
2004–2009
The Steps Program in Rochester, Minnesota
CDC’s Steps Program funds states, cities, and tribal groups to implement
community-based chronic disease prevention programs to reduce the burden of
obesity, diabetes, and asthma by addressing three related risk factors:
physical inactivity, poor nutrition, and tobacco use. Steps-funded programs
are showing what can be done locally in schools, work sites, communities,
and health care settings to promote healthier lifestyles and help people
make long-lasting and sustainable changes that can reduce their risk for
chronic diseases.
Background
Rochester, a city of 85,806 people, is located in southeastern
Minnesota’s Olmsted County. Rochester has a significant international
population that includes large numbers of Somali, Cambodian, Hispanic or
Latino, Laotian, Bosnian, Vietnamese, and Hmong residents. Fifty-two
languages are spoken in the homes of Rochester’s nearly 18,000 school
students. The median income of families in the metropolitan area is $57,815,
and less than 5% of the population lives below the federal poverty level
(2006 American Community Survey).
Spotlight on Success
Focusing on Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) supplemental nutrition
program participants, the Steps Program in Rochester–Olmsted County
implemented the Fit WIC program to help low-income parents and children
become more active. Steps produced a tool kit with information about
physical activity and skill-building activities to improve preschoolers’
physical development and learning. A DVD describing local recreational and
play resources and tips for healthy eating was included. More than 230
children participated during the first 6 months of FIT WIC,
increasing their play activities and reducing their television viewing time
by half. In addition, 78% of the children either improved or maintained
their weight. Read Rochester’s success story in The Steps Program in
Action, available at
www.cdc.gov/steps/success_stories/pdf/rochester.pdf
(PDF- 90KB).
Community Partnerships
The Steps to a Healthier Rochester Community Partnerships consortium is a
network of local partners working together to design strategies, plan
programs, and communicate messages to help local residents adopt healthier
lifestyles. The consortium holds quarterly meetings to plan the
implementation of chronic disease prevention efforts that meet the Steps
objectives. Community partners include the Rochester Area Family YMCA, the
Olmsted Medical Center, the Mayo Clinic, the Eliminating Health Disparities
Initiative, Rochester’s public and private schools, the RNeighbors
program, Rochester’s Downtown Farmer’s Market, the Southeast Minnesota
Tobacco Initiative, IBM, the Cardiovision 2020 program, the Rochester
Senior Center, the Midwest Dairy Council, Olmsted County Public Health
Services, the Southeast Minnesota Asthma Coalition, and the local chapter of
the American Heart Association.
Contact
Steps to a HealthierMN–Rochester
Olmsted County Public Health
Telephone: 507-328-7500
www.stepstoahealthiermn.org/rochester.cfm*
*Links to non-Federal organizations are provided solely as a
service to our users. Links do not constitute an endorsement of any organization
by CDC or the Federal Government, and none should be inferred. The CDC is
not responsible for the content of the individual organization Web pages found
at this link.
One or more documents on this Web page are available in Adobe Acrobat® Format
(PDF).
You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to view PDF files on this page.
Page last reviewed: August 4, 2008
Page last modified: August 4, 2008
Content source: Division of Adult and
Community Health, National
Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion
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