CDC Communities Putting Prevention to Work: San Antonio

Communities Putting Prevention to Work (CPPW) is a national initiative to prevent chronic disease and promote healthy living through policy, systems and environmental changes in 50 sites throughout the United States. San Antonio was selected and received the third largest award among the 50 grantees with $15.6 Million to address obesity, a leading cause of preventable death in the region. According to the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), 65.7% of adults in Bexar County are overweight or obese. Recognizing this, city officials and community members have used CPPW funding to implement 30 local obesity prevention initiatives to make healthy living easier in San Antonio.

The mission of Communities Putting Prevention to Work: San Antonio is to promote environmental changes to prevent obesity and make San Antonio one of the healthiest and most active communities in the nation.

Communities Putting Prevention to Work: San Antonio aims to reduce obesity by building accessible walking trails, providing bike-share programs, organizing free fitness programs and highlighting healthy eating options for the residents of San Antonio.

Since inception, CCPW: San Antonio has implemented the following initiatives:
• Increased safe accessible roads and intersections through more than 80 public works projects and built walking trails at 2 libraries, 4 San Antonio Housing Authority (SAHA) communities and 5 school sites that are open for public use.
• Instituted a bike-share program and provided over 1,300 bicycles to SAHA, parks, and the YMCA for ride-to-own programs.
• Developed a “Fitness in the parks” program to provide free physical activity classes to residents in city parks and outdoor fitness stations placed in 22 parks.
• Provided physical activity equipment to 361 schools reaching over 365,000 students.
• Established salad bars and nutrition staff training to 108 schools reaching approximately 100,000 students and expanded participation in the ¡Por Vida! healthy menu program to offer healthy foods when dining out.
• Created walking trails on five sites and established a farmers’ market in one of the public housing communities to address concerns about the availability of healthy foods.