Thursday, October 25, 2007
Lt. Governor Judge Announces "5 Steps Toward A Healthy Iowa"
Releases report from Wellness Commission
SIOUX CITY -- Lt. Governor Patty Judge today presented the recommendations of her Commission on Wellness and Healthy Living. During a visit to Sioux City’s Long Lines Rec Center, a community sponsored wellness center designed to improve wellness efforts in Northwest Iowa, she presented five steps designed to make Iowa a healthier state.
“The Culver/Judge Administration is committed to improving the health and well-being of Iowans, and these five steps will help us do just that,” said Lt. Governor Judge. “These recommendations are only the starting point. The Governor and I will build upon these efforts in the coming months to develop a comprehensive wellness plan designed to move us farther down the road to a healthier Iowa, and lay the groundwork for a brighter future.”
Earlier this summer, Lt. Governor Judge formed the commission to begin a conversation with Iowans about ways to improve the health of our state. They were tasked with listening to Iowans present ideas on promoting wellness. After ten town hall meetings across the state, they presented recommendations to the Lt. Governor earlier this month.
Governor Culver and Lt. Governor Judge used those recommendations to come up with the following five steps:
- Remove Unhealthy Food From Schools
- Improve the Health of Iowa’s Children
- Encourage More Iowans to Quit Smoking
- Encourage Physical Activity for Seniors
- Promote Wellness Efforts Among Iowans
“I want to thank the members of this wellness commission for their hard work and commitment,” said the Lt. Governor. “Their efforts will leave a lasting mark on the health of our state and improve the lives of thousands of people.”
Details on the “Five Steps Toward a Healthy Iowa” are below:
Step One: Remove Unhealthy Food From Schools
- Create the HealthVend Program, a revolving school loan program that will allow schools to purchase vending machines that carry only healthy foods
- Improve school lunches to provide more fruits, vegetables and lean meats
Step Two: Improve the Health of Iowa’s Children
- Set physical activity guidelines for Iowa’s schools
- Encourage wellness amongst students, including well-child screenings
Step Three: Encourage More Iowans to Quit Smoking
- Give communities the authority to pass local smoke-free ordinances
- Expand Smoking Cessation Programs
Step Four: Encourage Physical Activity for Seniors
- Work with the Department of Elder Affairs and the Department of Public Health to expand physical activity programs for Iowa’s Seniors
Step Five: Promote Wellness Efforts Among Iowans
- Encourage Iowans to get regular health screenings, including mental, dental, cancer, and other preventative steps, and work with the Department of Public Health to connect them to those services
- Create a Wellness Website where individuals can learn about successful wellness efforts across the state, and create their own personal wellness plans, including information on healthy eating, physical activity and health screenings