Advocacy and Community Action

It takes more than personal motivation to live a healthy lifestyle. Your physical and social surroundings can also affect the way you live. It’s much easier to choose healthy behaviors when your neighborhood has safe sidewalks and wide bike lanes, and your workplace cafeteria offers affordable, nutritious foods.

This section of the Center’s site offers tips on the many ways you can help support healthy lifestyles in your community. It’s estimated that at least half of all cancers and over 75 percent of heart disease and diabetes cases could be avoided if we all made healthy changes in our everyday lives. By taking some of the steps offered here, you can help improve not only your own health but also the health of your neighbors, family, and friends. See the topics below for specific ideas on how to take action in your community.