April 1, 2024. Reno/Sparks, Nev. – This week is National Public Health Week, a celebration of all the successes public health has made to promote and protect the health of all people and their communities. As part of this week-long observation, Northern Nevada Public Health (NNPH) is promoting many services and wellness activities.
“Public health encompasses all actions that help promote the health and well-being of communities and people,” said Kevin Dick, NNPH District Health Officer. “Public health interventions have increased life expectancy by reducing the spread of disease, promoting healthy environments and empowering individuals to manage illness. Yet, as a country, just 3% of health spending is used for public health.”
This week, NNPH is recognizing a public awareness campaign called 5210 Healthy Washoe, an easy-to-remember guideline to help create healthy daily habits. The campaign encourages residents to enjoy 5 or more servings of fruits and vegetables, 2 or fewer hours of screen time, at least 1 hour of exercise, and 0 sugary drinks, per day.
The goal of the 5210 Healthy Washoe campaign is to bring community awareness of the guidelines in everyday settings, like schools, healthcare offices and childcare establishments. To learn more about this campaign, visit 5210washoe.com.
This work is critical, as obesity rates in Washoe County are increasing for both youth and adults. In 2022, 30% of adults in Washoe County were classified as obese, and more than 21% of youth were considered obese. Obesity puts individuals at risk for many chronic diseases, including diabetes, heart disease and sleep apnea.
Welcoming a new building for the School of Public Health
As part of National Public Health Week, NNPH is taking part in a ribbon cutting event for the new School of Public Health building at the University of Nevada, Reno, Thursday at 3 p.m., next to the UNR Student Health Center. More information on the ribbon cutting can be found online.
New District Health Officer selected
At the March 28, 2024, District Board of Health meeting, Chad Kingsley, MD, MBA, was selected to become the new District Health Officer in Washoe County. Read more here.
Members of the media interested in interviews with NNPH experts for any public health related topic during National Public Health Week can email health-media@nnph.org.
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Please note the Washoe County Health District changed its name to Northern Nevada Public Health on Aug. 31, 2023. More information is here.
Northern Nevada Public Health (NNPH) is nationally accredited by the Public Health Accreditation Board and has jurisdiction over all public health matters in Reno, Sparks, and Washoe County through the policy-making District Board of Health. NNPH consists of five divisions: Administrative Health Services, Air Quality Management, Community and Clinical Health Services, Environmental Health Services and Epidemiology & Public Health Preparedness. More info can be found here.