On World No Tobacco Day, May 31, Tobacco Stops With Me, a program of TSET, encourages Oklahomans to focus on the impact tobacco has on the cardiovascular health of people worldwide.
Each year, the tobacco epidemic kills over 7 million people globally, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Close to 900,000 of these deaths are nonsmokers breathing in secondhand smoke.
In Oklahoma, smoking kills more than 7,500 adults annually and leaves thousands suffering with chronic diseases such as heart disease, stroke, cancer and diabetes. According to the CDC, Oklahoma has the second highest rate of death in the nation due to heart disease.
Learn more about motivating peers to be tobacco free at StopsWithMe.com. Call 1-800-QUIT NOW (1-800-784-8669) or visit OKhelpline.com to explore the free services available through the Oklahoma Tobacco Helpline.
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City of Holdenville honored for efforts to improve health
The City of Holdenville was honored recently for efforts to improve health and quality of life for residents through the TSET Healthy Incentive Program for Communities. Holdenville received a $50,000 grant and has chosen to use the funds to purchase new playground equipment as well as a new pavilion and grill at the Holdenville Park.
Holdenville implemented strategies such as adopting policies or ordinances for all city-owned and operated property to be tobacco and vapor-free, implementing street and zoning policies that improve walkability and promoting community gardens and farmer markets. These programs are important for encouraging residents to be active, live healthy, and be smoke-free.
Pictured Above: Mayor John Massad; TSET Executive Director Julie Bisbee; and Senator Greg McCortney
Weatherford Public Schools was honored recently for efforts to improve health through the TSET Healthy Incentive Program for Schools. The district received $30,000 and plans to use the incentive grant for physical education (PE) and physical activity equipment for elementary school sites, secondary PE and health education curriculum, equipment and supplies to support hands-on learning experiences in Health, Wellness and Nutrition Education classes for students, cafeteria equipment for elementary kitchens, and water bottle filling stations at multiple school sites to encourage increased water consumption for students and staff throughout the day.
In order to receive the grant, Weatherford Public Schools put a variety of policies and strategies in place to promote health and wellness for students and staff.
The incentive grant criteria focuses on strengthening district wellness policies to improve school nutrition, increase physical activity, promote student wellbeing and provide tobacco-free environments for students, staff, faculty and families. These health-promoting practices and policies are recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Incentive grant funds must be used for projects or programs to improve health.
 Pictured above from left to right: Julie Bisbee, TSET Executive Director; Sharbee Heinrichs, Director of Nutrition Services with Opaa! Food Management, Inc.; Chad Wilson, Weatherford Public Schools Superintendent; Sharon Howard, Program Manager, TSET Healthy Incentive Program for Schools; Steve Callen, Weatherford Public Schools Assistant Superintendent
The City of Enid has been named as a finalist for the Oklahoma State Main Street Project of the Year award. The TSET Healthy Living Program serving Garfield and Grant counties and various partners throughout the community contributed to the success of their Safer Streets Simulation Project.
The goal of this simulation was to design the ideal main street that not only was fun but also safer and healthier. Enid wanted to improve the walkability of their main street as well as slow down traffic to ensure safety. Enid included interactive signs, crosswalk and sidewalk art, and no-smoking zones in front of public entrances.
Increasing walkability, as Enid did with this simulation project, can encourage citizens to be more physically active, and at TSET we know that leading an active lifestyle has both immediate and long-term health benefits.
TSET congratulates all of the collaborators and partners who made this simulation possible including representatives from the TSET Healthy Living Program serving Garfield and Grant counties, Main Street Enid, University of Oklahoma Gibbs College of Architecture Institute for Quality Communities and the Oklahoma Municipal League. Through enhancements to community infrastructure and more, schools, businesses, city leaders and all members of the community have the power to improve community health.
For tips from Shape Your Future, a program of TSET, on how to improve the health of your own community, click here.
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Dads have a significant impact and can be role models for their kids on how to live healthy, fulfilling lives. This Father’s Day, the Oklahoma Tobacco Helpline is encouraging fathers who use tobacco to make the healthy decision to quit so that they can be healthy role models for their children.
Unfortunately, tobacco use among men in Oklahoma remains a serious problem as 21.1% of Oklahoma males smoke. Additionally, 13.7% of men use smokeless tobacco. Even though some fathers may smoke, they can receive nonjudgmental support from the Oklahoma Tobacco Helpline to become smoke-free for themselves and their children.
“My daughter knows that my main reason for quitting smoking was for her, so that I could live a long life and be there for her,” said Bryce Barfield. “I am working to be a healthier dad for her, and I am in good health after six-and-a-half years of being smokefree. It is something I don’t ever want to turn back to.”
FREE text and email support and free patches, gum or lozenges are available for Oklahoma tobacco users interested in quitting at 1-800-QUIT NOW (1-800-784-8669) and OKhelpline.com.
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The upcoming Southern Obesity Summit is being held in Oklahoma City on October 28-30, 2019 and is the largest regional obesity prevention event in the United States, drawing hundreds of participants from 16 southern states. The 16 most southern states have some of the highest obesity rates in the U.S., and these states are taking steps to combat obesity by discussing and raising awareness to the negative health effects it can have on one’s body.
This summit will be held at the Cox Convention Center in downtown Oklahoma City and will be presented by TSET and the Texas Health Institute (THI). The aim of this event is to provide an educational and collaborative environment to fight obesity and unhealthy attitudes so that Americans can live longer and healthier.
Visit SouthernObesitySummit.com to learn more about registration and sponsorship opportunities.
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