NEWS for North Dakotans
Agriculture Communication, North Dakota State University
7 Morrill Hall, Fargo, ND 58105-5665
September 9, 1999
Two additional North Dakota wellness coalitions have met the criteria set forth by the North Dakota Healthy Heart Council and will provide "5 Plus 5" programs for residents in three North Dakota counties. The organizations are Bismarck/Mandan Nutrition Services, representing Burleigh and Morton counties, and a group from Barnes County
The 5 Plus 5 program is an educational effort aimed at encouraging individuals to eat fruits and vegetables five times a day and to be physically active for 30 minutes, five days a week. The Healthy Heart Council, which coordinates 5 Plus 5, is a partnership comprised of government agencies, nonprofit organizations, nutrition and physical activity professional associations, and businesses.
"The North Dakota Healthy Heart Council wanted to provide local contacts with a grass roots-based nutrition and physical activity program--something that could be easily personalized to their own community," says Julie Garden-Robinson, food and nutrition specialist with the North Dakota State University Extension Service and chair of the North Dakota Healthy Heart Council's 5 Plus 5 committee.
Members of each coalition have established partnerships with local physical activity and nutrition professionals, attended 5 Plus 5 training workshops, and begun a promotion and outreach effort that will include an evaluation component. Each coalition also has received a full-service 5 Plus 5 manual developed by the North Dakota Healthy Heart Council. The manual provides a step-by-step approach for developing a local 5 Plus 5 program and includes program design ideas and examples, strategies, worksheets, and other resources.
As required by the 5 Plus 5 designation, the coalitions will track their progress. In addition to measuring changes in exercise habits and fruit and vegetable consumption, 5 Plus 5 coalitions strive to initiate programs that encourage gradual, positive lifestyle changes.
For more information about the 5 Plus 5 program, contact Garden-Robinson at (701) 231-7187 or Melissa Olson, cardiovascular health program coordinator with the North Dakota Department of Health, at (701) 328-2367.
Current 5 Plus 5 Coalitions
###
Source: Julie Garden-Robinson (701) 231-7187
Editor: Dean Hulse (701) 231-6136