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Funding Period:
2004–2009
The Steps Program in St. Paul, 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
St. Paul is a city with a diverse population of approximately 287,000
people, including a large number of refugees, especially Hmong and Somali.
Four neighborhoods where residents are at greatest risk for chronic diseases
were identified as the focus of Steps community initiatives—the Dayton
Bluff, Payne–Phalen, Thomas–Dale, and Summit–University neighborhoods. In
these areas, population ranges from 17,000 to 31,000 people, and the
proportion of those who do not speak English at home ranges from 18% to 50%.
Many people in these neighborhoods live below the federal poverty level,
with proportions ranging from 19% to 31% of residents. Approximately 73% of
children enrolled in St. Paul Public Schools (SPPS) are members of racial or
ethnic minority groups. Almost 11% of SPPS children have asthma, and the
smoking rate among area students is another major health concern.
Spotlight on Success
Get Fit Twin Cities, a physical activity program supported by St. Paul’s
Steps Program, successfully overcame barriers to people’s participation in
physical activity during the Minnesota winter of 2007; 226 work sites and
138 community teams (with 1,556 and 563 registrants, respectively)
participated in St. Paul. During January and February, participants reported
a mean of 29 minutes of physical activity per day. In addition, the SPPS
district actively promoted work-site wellness initiatives. Teachers and
other staff members in 23 schools “walked to Italy” as part of the third
annual walking tour; 79 school employee teams with a combined membership of
497 people participated in Get Fit Twin Cities. Current wellness initiatives
include programs on balance and nutrition, a holiday weight control
challenge, another walking tour, and participation in Get Fit Twin Cities
2008.
Community Partnerships
St. Paul’s community partnerships include local representatives from a
wide variety of organizations such as libraries, the YMCA, the Cooperative
Extension Service, Ramsey County Board of Commissioners, clinics, health
plans, hospitals, Parks and Recreation departments, the University of
Minnesota, national health associations (e.g., American Heart Association,
American Cancer Society), and ethnic organizations.
Contact
Steps to a HealthierMN–St. Paul
St. Paul - Ramsey County Department of Public Health
Telephone: 651-266-2400
www.stepstoahealthiermn.org/saintpaul.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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