1,500 locations worldwide, part of a 'Healthy Communities Initiatives', are addressing the issues of how we get and stay healthy as people and as a society.
The concerned citizens of Tillery, North Carolina, for example, working with almost no financial resources, converted a potato shack into a health clinic, helping each other to screen for diabetes and to learn about nutrition. Because they needed to cut back on fried foods, they relearned how to cook. They taught themselves to walk and exercise more. They took on the big commercial stock farms that were polluting their water supply and poisoning their children.
As a result, they have dramatically lowered their heart disease and cancer rates, and they are dealing with diabetes.
From January 1986, when the World Health Organisation organised the first meeting of the Healthy Cities planning group in Europe, until 1994, the movement has grown to include 1,500 communities in more than 50 countries on every continent.
For more information contact the National Civic League, 1445 Market Street, Suite 300, Denver, Co 80202, USA (tel 303 571 4343; fax 303 571 4404; e-mail: <tnorris@ncl.org>).
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