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Indiana State Department of Health
Division of Nutrition & Physical Activity
The Division of Nutrition and Physical Activity (DNPA) provides statewide leadership for healthy eating and active living strategies that works to reduce the burden of overweight, obesity, and related chronic diseases. The DNPA, in partnership with organizations statewide, works to create healthier environments in schools, communities, worksites, and healthcare settings. The Division provides education, trainings, and programming that supports best practices in physical activity and nutrition promotion.
Currently, the majority of Indiana adults are overweight or obese. This burden, combined with many Hoosiers not engaging in enough physical activity and not consuming recommended servings of healthy foods, contributes to the high prevalence of chronic diseases such as: cardiovascular disease, diabetes, pre-diabetes, and some cancers. In addition to the human cost, the economic cost of poor health to healthcare systems and employers continue to rise.
The DNPA uses Indiana’s Comprehensive Nutrition and Physical Activity Plan, 2010-2020 as roadmap to reduce the prevalence of overweight and obesity. The Plan offers strategies across settings to increase: access to and engagement in physical activity, and access to and consumption of healthy foods. The Plan is a framework of action for policy makers, public and private organizations, and community members to change the policies, systems, and environments in which Hoosiers live, learn, work, and play. Community members and professionals can be involved in the strategies to reduce the burden of obesity by joining the Indiana Healthy Weight Initiative.
The role of the DNPA is to:
- Promote changes to systems, policies, and environments that make it easier for Hoosiers to: access and engage in physical activity, and access and consume healthy foods.
- Support the nation’s efforts to address public health policies and establish both successful and sustainable interventions for physical activity and nutrition needs.
- Encourage and support effective education and promotion programs and promote changes that help Hoosiers eat better and be more physically active.
- Maintain a comprehensive surveillance system for the ongoing, systematic collection of nutrition, physical activity and obesity data, as well as policy and environmental change information.
Contact us or visit our tabs to learn more about how each sector of the DNPA plans, implements, evaluates and works collaboratively with partners to promote wellness throughout the State of Indiana.
Indiana State Department of Health
Division of Nutrition and Physical Activity
2 North Meridian Street
Indianapolis, IN 46204
Telephone: 317-233-1325
