A Healthier Future for All

What we eat shapes our health. Today, over 50% of calories in the American diet – and nearly 70% of calories for children – come from ultra-processed foods, contributing to chronic disease.1 This must change.

A diet that is rich in nutrient-dense foods such as fruits, vegetables, healthy fats and protein can lower the risk of chronic disease. With creativity and resourcefulness, individuals, families, and communities can access healthy choices and integrate nutritious foods into their diets, even when healthy options do not seem easily accessible. For example, choosing frozen fruits and vegetables instead of fresh can be a more economical choice.

Community interventions can help increase access to whole foods and information about building healthier diets. Examples of interventions include disseminating resource lists of local stores with healthy options and reasonable prices, establishing mobile fruit and vegetable markets, promoting nutritious education and cooking demonstrations, and encouraging urban agriculture initiatives and farmers markets.

Move Your Body, Boost Your Mood

Regular physical activity improves energy, mood, and long-term health outcomes. Walks after meals, choosing the stairs instead of an elevator, or even stretching at points throughout the day can have positive impacts on our health. Home workouts and using free videos online are low-cost ways to integrate more exercise into a routine. Finding something you like helps keep up with new habits and build a healthy routine.

Movement with others can bring joy and motivation – dancing at church, walking with neighbors, playing with family, or home workouts. And movement rooted in culture and community can make it easier to maintain.

While some Black and Hispanic adults face certain barriers to exercise (including fewer safe parks and recreation centers), many communities are finding creative solutions. From mall walking groups and church dance ministries to neighborhood walking clubs, people are reclaiming movement in the spaces they have.

Health isn’t only physical. It encompasses body, mind, and spirit. Prayer, meditation, and service to others can foster inner peace, resilience, and purpose.

Racial and ethnic minority communities often have strong spiritual traditions and community networks, which are powerful resources for health and resilience. Research shows that regular participation in faith communities is associated with lower mortality rates and better mental health outcomes, a strength that minority communities draw on.

Being part of something bigger can strengthen both our hearts and our health. Examples include service, celebrating shared traditions, or some other community activity that can bring joy.

Nature Heals

Spending time outdoors improves focus, reduces anxiety, and helps both kids and adults feel calmer and more grounded. Minority communities are more likely to have less access to green spaces. Despite the challenges, many neighborhoods are creating their own healing spaces through community gardens, transforming vacant lots into peaceful retreats, and organizing walking groups in local parks.

Simple connections with nature can happen anywhere: visiting a local park, taking a sidewalk stroll under street trees, or tending plants on a balcony. Faith-based organizations and community centers increasingly host outdoor gatherings, making nature's benefits more accessible and enjoyable for people.