Funded largely by the Kate B. Reynolds Charitable Trust, the Healthy Lives, Healthy Futures (HLHF) program seeks to prevent chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, and stroke among underserved residents of Cabarrus, Mecklenburg, and Rowan Counties through positive behavior changes in physical activity, nutrition, and tobacco use.

Trained community volunteers, with the assistance of program staff, will teach weekly group exercise classes at participating sites and will be provided with exercise equipment to motivate participants and sustain the program. Nutrition and tobacco cessation resources will also be provided to participating sites. Specific program goals for participants are to increase fruit and vegetable consumption, increase physical activity, and develop healthier lifestyle habits that will result in improved physical fitness and overall health (i.e. weight loss, blood pressure, body fat percentage, and body mass index (BMI)).

From 2001-2006, Cabarrus Health Alliance and its partners successfully implemented the initial HLHF program in 17 underserved community sites. Sixteen of these sites sustained their programs and remained active after funding was concluded. As a result of this program, numerous health improvements were demonstrated including a significant reduction in BMI, blood pressure, and waist to hip ratio.

Building on the success of the previous HLHF program, Cabarrus Health Alliance will work with partners to expand to new sites, keeping the focus on reducing the risk of chronic diseases (diabetes, heart disease, and stroke) among underserved residents Cabarrus, Mecklenburg, and Rowan Counties. Individuals that have a lower income and are uninsured are associated with higher rates of chronic disease; therefore, the HLHF program will target low-income youth, adults, older adults, and adults with disabilities with an emphasis on low income African Americans. The HLHF program has identified low income African Americans because this population experiences disparities in chronic diseases and poverty at higher rates than Caucasians.

Our approach has three key elements:

1. A community and faith-based train-the-trainer program for lay community health advocates to instruct safe and effective exercise classes, as well as basic nutrition classes at their local church.

2. Weekly behavioral modification classes at low income churches and community sites led by HLHF staff and trained community health advocates.

3. A support system to encourage and facilitate long-term behavior change to improve health.