The Governor’s Foundation for Health and Wellness, through its Healthier Tennessee initiative, is inviting Tennesseans to “start now” and take steps toward “a healthier you, a healthier Tennessee,” the new call to action that’s part of a multi-faceted, statewide campaign launching Tuesday.
“Tennessee has the ability to improve our individual health and the overall health of our state, and we can start now,” Governor Bill Haslam said. “We have high rates of behavior-related diseases, and by focusing on changing unhealthy behaviors we can improve our quality of life and also reduce the cost of health care and the cost of doing business in Tennessee.”
Healthier Tennessee’s inaugural campaign combines key messaging with engaging television and digital advertising, social activation and community outreach to connect with Tennesseans. Initially, the campaign seeks to raise awareness of the relationship between a person’s behaviors and their health, and invites all Tennesseans to join the movement to make Tennessee a healthier state at healthierTN.com.
“A high level of public awareness and understanding about behavior-related diseases and ways to combat them will be essential if Tennesseans are to make positive changes in their behaviors and live healthier,” Governor’s Foundation for Health and Wellness CEO Rick Johnson said.
A new 30-second television commercial will begin airing in regular rotation on networks throughout the state today. The spot illustrates how Tennesseans can make changes in their everyday activities that will improve their health, such as trading screen time for being active with your child, choosing healthier foods when shopping, and not using tobacco.
Officials said, "As awareness of the issue increases and understanding deepens, the Healthier Tennessee initiative and Start Now campaign will also mature."
In the coming weeks, healthierTN.com will grow to include tools, resources and other features. Programs to encourage and enable greater numbers of Tennesseans to be more physically active, eat healthier foods in the right portions, and not use tobacco are also being implemented on a local level across the state and will increase as time goes on.
“Behaviors are not created overnight and they will not be changed overnight. It will take a long-term, sustained effort, but Tennesseans can start now to make small changes that can reduce their risk of chronic illnesses such as hypertension, stroke and cardiovascular disease,” Mr. Johnson said.