A new health initiative in Sedgwick County aimed at preventing diabetes and heart disease is up and running.
A $2.3 million grant from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is funding the program.
The program is called HealthICT. In this case, the"ICT" stands for 'innovate, coordinate and transform' the health of Wichita.
Health advocates say Sedgwick County has a 30 percent obesity rate, the highest in the state.
Becky Tuttle, the newly hired Health ICT manager, says they’re already developing strategies to help reduce and prevent obesity, as well as diabetes, heart disease and stroke.
"Some things are in the very infancy stages where we’re actually just gathering data and trying to do some assessment of what’s happening in the community," she says. "And then some of the work is already been going and it’s just a continuation and improvement."
Tuttle says 87 activities are planned for the next year that will address key areas: healthy eating, physical activity, lifestyle change programs and health systems.
She says their plan will link public health and clinical care partners with community resources.
