Action Item #6
Action Item #6: Implement at least one heart-healthy policy or program in your organization. Make healthy eating, physical activity, and smoking cessation the easiest choice in your school, neighborhood, worksite, faith-based or community organization.
Think about all the organizations to which you, your friends and your family belong. Organizations include schools, worksites, places of worship, sports teams, neighborhood and community organizations and volunteer groups—to name just a few. Organizations can help members improve heart-healthy behaviors by making changes to policies and environments. Experts have identified model organizational-level policies and initiatives that can help members to consume a healthier diet, get more physical activity, and avoid or quit using tobacco—which are three modifiable factors in preventing heart disease.
Think about all the organizations to which you, your friends and your family belong. Organizations include schools, worksites, places of worship, sports teams, neighborhood and community organizations and volunteer groups—to name just a few. Organizations can help members improve heart-healthy behaviors by making changes to policies and environments. Experts have identified model organizational-level policies and initiatives that can help members to consume a healthier diet, get more physical activity, and avoid or quit using tobacco—which are three modifiable factors in preventing heart disease.
The list below provides a wide range of resources for different types of organizations. Access the tools you need to help you complete Action Item #6 by clicking on the links below. Many of the interventions listed require a committed and sustained effort from various stakeholders within the organization, but it only takes one woman of influence to set the process in motion.
School Policy and Program Interventions
Healthy Eating and Improved Nutrition
School Policy and Program Interventions
Healthy Eating and Improved Nutrition
- Advocate for improving the nutritional quality of school foods outside of meals (e.g. vending machines, à la carte, snacks, fundraisers, rewards, and parties).
- Advocate for incorporating a Farm to School program in your school. Farm to School programs encourage serving healthy meals in school cafeterias, improving student nutrition, providing agriculture, health, and nutrition education opportunities, and supporting local and regional farmers.
- Additional school nutrition policy resource:
Mapping School Food: A Policy Guide
Physical Activity
- Organize a walk-to-school event to bring awareness to the Safe Routes to School program.
- Advocate that schools form partnerships with communities through Joint Use Agreements to share school facilities, such as gymnasiums, field space, and exercise equipment with community residents during non-school and event hours.
Tobacco Prevention and Cessation
- Find out if your school campus is 100% tobacco free.
- Talk with the school board and administration about the importance of tobacco prevention interventions within the school system for both students and staff.
- Contact your local tobacco control coalition to learn how to educate the school board and school administrators about the importance of tobacco prevention efforts within the school system.
Neighborhood and Community Policy and Program Interventions
Healthy Eating and Improved Nutrition
Neighborhood and Community Policy and Program Interventions
Healthy Eating and Improved Nutrition
- Start a community garden in your neighborhood to increase access to fresh fruits and vegetables.
- Additional community garden resource:
American Community Gardening Association
Physical Activity
- Conduct walkability and bikeability audits in your neighborhood and communicate results with city officials.
- Walkability and bikeability assessment tools:
Walkability Checklist and Bikeability Checklist
Tobacco Prevention and Cessation
- Get involved with your local tobacco control coalition to help make your community smoke-free.
- Give your business to smoke-free restaurants and bars in your community.
- Support smoke-free air laws.
Worksite Policy and Program Interventions
Healthy Eating and Improved Nutrition
Worksite Policy and Program Interventions
Healthy Eating and Improved Nutrition
- Offer healthy food choices during meetings, conferences, and events.
- Resources for offering healthy food choices:
Guidelines for Offering Healthy Food at Meetings, Seminars, and Catered Events
Choosing Foods and Beverages for Healthy Meetings, Conferences, and Events
Physical Activity
- Provide physical activity breaks during the work day, such as stretching and walking.
- Post motivational signs by elevators to encourage stair use.
- Tools to encourage stair usage:
StairWELL Toolkit and Motivational Stairwell Messages
Tobacco Prevention and Cessation
- Ensure a 100% tobacco-free worksite in indoor buildings and grounds.
- Promote quitting to all co-workers and encourage them to call the Indiana Tobacco Quit Line: 1-800-QUIT-NOW (784-8669).
- If you are a health care facility or provider, become a "preferred provider" of the Indiana Tobacco Quit Line to learn more about how to help your patients stop using tobacco.
Faith-Based Organization Policy and Program Interventions
Healthy Eating and Improved Nutrition
Faith-Based Organization Policy and Program Interventions
Healthy Eating and Improved Nutrition
Physical Activity
Tobacco Prevention and Cessation
- Include and promote the Indiana Tobacco Quit Line, 1-800-QUIT-NOW (784-8669) in your weekly bulletin and other communication.
We want to hear about your intentions to implement an organizational-level policy to promote healthy eating, physical activity, and tobacco prevention and cessation. To share what you are doing or request additional information, contact Tanya Parrish at tparrish@isdh.in.gov.
Online Services
Stay Connected
You are leaving the IN.gov website. By clicking OK, you will be taken to a website that is not affiliated with the State of Indiana and may have different privacy and security policies. The State of Indiana is not responsible for, and does not endorse, guarantee, or monitor content, availability, viewpoints, products, or services that are offered or expressed on this non IN.gov portal website.
