There’s a new “micromart” canteen at the SC Court of Appeals building, and Judicial Department staff are looking for healthy options. In collaboration with the American Heart Association, Working Well, and the SC Commission for the Blind, Eat Smart Move More South Carolina (ESMMSC) hosted a healthy taste test on April 28 to help the micromart vendor determine what types of healthy options to sell.
“Here, we have a lot of health conscious people who watch what they eat and use their Fitbits to walk, so I definitely wanted to test out some healthy foods and beverages that my customers might be interested in,” said Maguya Walker, licensed vendor.
Walker is part of the SC Commission for the Blind’s Business Enterprise Program – a statewide program that helps blind and legally blind citizens become entrepreneurs in businesses such as snack bars, cafeterias, and other merchandising venues. Participants earn their business license, and are then assigned to various government locations around the state. Walker was assigned the SC Judicial Department and the SC Department of Education.
“I am doing some research now and developing my knowledge on healthy options because I want to keep my customers happy with what they want and what they’re looking for,” said Walker.
The newly opened micromart is the first canteen to be located at the SC Court of Appeals Building. Employees previously would have to venture to other buildings to find snacks and drinks.
“I’m very excited that we have something here in this building that will offer something other than salt and fat,” said Merrell Johnson, Office of Human Resources at the SC Judicial Department. “When we found out we were getting this canteen and that it was going to offer healthy options, I think everyone in our office was excited.”
Nearly 100 employees dropped into the micromart during the taste test to sample healthy options like greek yogurt, granola bars, and low-calorie beverages. Then, they rated each product they tested and provided feedback on whether or not they would buy the products. They were also given the opportunity request specific products and flavors.
ESMMSC and our partners are working with the SC Commission for the Blind and various municipalities and government agencies to ensure healthier food and beverage options are available in vending machines in government buildings, parks, recreation centers, and other public places.
“State and local governments have an important opportunity to support employees and the public in their efforts to make healthier choices,” said Hannah Walters, senior manager for policy and community initiatives at ESMMSC. “Even better, we know that stocking healthier options can be good for business and health. That’s a win-win.”
In February 2017, ESMMSC worked with the City of Columbia on becoming the first municipality in South Carolina to adopt evidence-based nutrition standards for foods and beverages purchased, sold, or served by the city, including through vending machines, meetings, and events.
The number of local Eat Smart Move More coalitions, has increased to 26, thanks to the desire of partners in Pickens County to make system changes that provide healthy options for all of their residents. Chapter partners are: SC Department of Social Services (ABC Quality), Safe Kids Upstate, SC Department of Health and Environmental Control, Pickens City Recreation Department, Pickens County School District, Southern Wesleyan University, The Samaritan Health Clinic, SC Inclusion Collaborative, Foothills Community Health Clinic, Baptist Easley Hospital, East Pickens Baptist Church, Anmed Health, and Cannon Hospital.
“Often our environments aren’t supportive of healthy eating and active living, and our mission is to change that by making the healthy choice the easy choice,” said Eat Smart Move More SC (ESMMSC) Executive Director Beth Franco. “We are excited that leaders in Pickens County recognize the seriousness of the obesity issue and have chosen to create their local chapter to coordinate efforts and to address the issue.”
According to 2017 County Health Rankings data, approximately 32 percent of South Carolina’s adult population is obese. The adult obesity rate for Pickens County is 30 percent. Obesity contributes to serious health conditions, rising healthcare costs, and a decline in the overall quality of life for our citizens.
Last year, the Pickens County Health Coalition completed a county-wide health needs and resource assessment. The group participated in a community engagement process to delve further into the most pressing concerns regarding the health status of Pickens County residents.
“Through a strategic planning process ending in the fall of 2016, the Coalition identified healthy eating and active living as an area of primary focus,” said Tia Prostko, MS, IBCLC, chair of Eat Smart Move More Pickens County. “As a result, we decided to join forces with ESMMSC and become a local chapter.”
By becoming a local Eat Smart Move More chapter, counties work to implement system and policy changes that increase access and affordability of healthier options for people of all races, ages, and income levels. Examples of county-level system improvements are: ensuring government employees and the public have access to healthier food and beverages options in vending machines, supplying nutritious foods in school cafeterias, identifying areas that need safer walking or biking routes to school, and creating healthier worksites.
For a complete list of ESMMSC chapters, additional county-specific data, and community groups participating in the ESMMSC movement, visit www.eatsmartmovemoresc.org.
The S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control is partnering with the Alzheimer’s Association South Carolina Chapter, The American Heart Association and Eat Smart Move More South Carolina to raise awareness about Alzheimer’s disease and brain health.
DHEC and its partners will collaborate on a campaign that encourages people to Take Brain Health to Heart. A key element of the effort is a pledge – which can be found at www.scdhec.gov/brainhealthpledge – that encourages residents to keep their body, heart and brain healthy. The campaign is designed to educate and mobilize South Carolinians to protect their brain health by being more active, eating better and taking other steps. Research has shown that smoking, obesity, high blood pressure and diabetes may contribute to cognitive decline. It has also found that unhealthy eating, lack of physical activity and brain injury may affect the health of the brain.
This is an important message in South Carolina, whose population is getting older. While Alzheimer’s and dementia are not a normal part of aging, getting older is the greatest risk factor for dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. According to the Alzheimer’s Association’s 2016 Alzheimer’s Disease Facts and Figures report, 84,000 people over the age of 65 are reported to be living with Alzheimer’s disease in South Carolina. By 2025, that number is expected to grow to 120,000, according to the SC Alzheimer’s disease registry report. South Carolina has one of the fastest-aging adult populations in the country, ranking in the top 10. That population is expected to increase to 1.1 million by 2029, resulting in one in five South Carolinians being over age 65.
South Carolina is one of seven states to receive funding to reduce stigma, promote early diagnosis and address risk reduction factors associated with cognitive decline, dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. The effort is funded by a collaborative that includes the Alzheimer’s Association, the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Over the next few months, DHEC, the Alzheimer’s Association, the American Heart Association and Eat Smart Move More will jointly focus on messaging regarding heart and brain health and cognitive decline.
The campaign will feature a centralized DHEC Brain Health webpage. Each partner organization will have a link to the page, which will include health education materials, social media messages and a call to action in the form of a pledge about healthy lifestyle changes. People who visit the page and take the pledge will be entered into a monthly drawing for a Fitbit, beginning this month and ending June 30. Please visit the webpage at www.scdhec.gov/brainhealth and take the pledge.
Over the past 10 years, Eat Smart Move More South Carolina (ESMMSC) has been facilitating positive change across the state by being a convener of partners and by providing technical assistance to communities. However, this could not have happened without the guidance and support of partners like Susan Collier, a registered dietician and Community Systems Team member at the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC), Midlands Region.
Collier served on the SC Obesity Prevention Efforts group, which worked on the first SC State Obesity Plan, which guided ESMMSC’s work in the formative years. She was also one of the first members of the ESMMSC Steering Committee and Board of Directors. Also, she served as co-chair of the first Communications and Marketing Committee and was instrumental in the development of the organizational brand, including the logo and website.
This year we celebrate ESMMSC’s 10th Anniversary. What thoughts and emotions come to mind when you think about that?
First, I can’t believe that it’s been 10 years! It’s exciting to see the work of ESMMSC being implemented across the state. Seeing the efforts that started 10 years ago continuing and facilitating positive change across South Carolina says so much about how successful this first decade has been.
What were your visions during your service? There is no simple solution to our obesity rates in South Carolina, and changing those statistics requires diverse and nontraditional partners coming together to work collaboratively. I think I envisioned ESMMSC playing an important role in those collaborative efforts by drawing partners together and providing tools and guidance to enable them to achieve greater success.
What do you see as ESMMSC’s biggest accomplishments since 2007? ESMMSC has had several successes over the last 10 years, but since I work for DHEC at the local level, I believe the effort to reach our local communities through the establishment and support of local ESMM coalitions is one of the biggest accomplishments. This has enabled our local communities to partner with ESMMSC and have a direct impact on the health of South Carolinians. It has also had a very positive impact by bringing local, diverse partners to the table to address access to healthy eating and physical activity.
Where would you like to see ESMMSC in 10 years? I would like to see ESMMSC continuing to work collaboratively with partners on the state and local level to decrease our obesity rates while improving the health of our citizens. It would be wonderful to see the obesity rates in both adults and children in South Carolina begin to decline.
I’d like to extend congratulations and thanks to the many people who have been a part of ESMMSC on both a state and local level. They have helped to facilitate the policy, system, and environmental changes needed to make the healthy choice the easy choice for South Carolinians.
Founded in 2007, ESMMSC is one of the first non-profit organizations of its kind in South Carolina, focusing on both healthy eating and active living. Its roots date back to 1999 when the South Carolina Coalition for Promoting Physical Activity formed and received nonprofit status in 2000. After changing its name to ESMMSC in 2007, the organization merged with the SC Coalition for Obesity Prevention.
Business is booming in many South Carolina towns and cities thanks to local infrastructure projects that have made communities more pedestrian- and bicycle-friendly. Ten municipalities, featured in a new report released today by Eat Smart Move More South Carolina, have noted millions of dollars in returns on investments, not to mention more active citizens. In Stronger Economies Through Active Communities: The Economic Impact of Walkable, Bikeable Communities in South Carolina, small business and municipal leaders are seeing large returns on investments in health.
In one such case, the cities of Easley and Pickens jointly built a 7.5-mile multi-use, paved rail trail, called the Doodle Trail, to provide citizens with a safe place to be active. Since its completion in 2015, both cities have experienced business growth, and Pickens’ hospitality tax revenues grew 12%. Property values near the trail are also on the rise.
“The Doodle Trail in Easley supports our business,” said Cindy Maxey, owner of Upcountry Outdoors, LLC. “Our bike shop would not have opened if it had not been for the trail.”
According to Pickens Mayor David Owens, the Doodle Trail meets all of their needs. “Our residents needed to be active and healthy, and we also wanted to bring people into Pickens to visit our community. We just needed a place to do all that.”
Many small businesses in the featured communities are experiencing economic growth, and municipalities have seen increased property values, more private investments, and a rise in tourism. Importantly, citizens also are using these resources to lead more active lives.
The 6.5-mile Spanish Moss Trail, which links the City of Beaufort to Port Royal, has become a popular attraction for tourists and residents, serving 36,500 people in 2015. The city advertises the trail in its marketing campaigns, and local hotels lend bikes to guests for use on the trail. The local outfitters store has also seen an increase in sales.
Beginning in 2005, Charleston-area leaders and advocates designed a 32-mile pedestrian and bike route called Battery2Beach that connects the Charleston Battery to nearby beaches. A 2011 cost-benefit analysis determined that the route would generate $42 million annually by drawing more tourists.
Through a series of tax incentives and private investments, the City of Columbia has revitalized Main Street, improving sidewalks, landscaping, and adding decorative lighting and signage. Countless new restaurants and businesses have opened, drawing many pedestrians and cyclists.
After a $3.5 million investment in street and sidewalk repairs to revitalize downtown and connect neighborhoods to trails and parks, the City of Florence has become a hot spot for private development and new business growth. Property values have nearly tripled, and rents downtown are on the rise.
Greenville County constructed the Swamp Rabbit Trail, a 21-mile rail trail that stretches from Travelers Rest to Greenville. The trail draws more than 500,000 visitors each year and generates $6.7 million in tourism-based revenue. Both Greenville and Travelers Rest have seen many new businesses open that are supported by trail users, and existing businesses have seen increases in sales/revenue up to 85%.
The City of Hartsville invested $2.8 million in sidewalk repairs along College Avenue, a corridor that connects Coker College to the downtown area, and in a pocket park at Mantissa Alley. The sidewalk improvements, which are still underway, are expected to foster new business growth by increasing foot traffic downtown, and the pocket park has already attracted two new shops.
Through a public-private partnership, the City ofRock Hill created several public recreation venues at a mixed-use development along the Catawba River. Among them are the Piedmont Medical Center Trail, which draws an average 12,000 visitors each month, and two Olympic-caliber cycling facilities. One 3-day event in 2016 created approximately $2.5 million in direct economic impact from hotel stays, restaurant sales and other purchases.
The City of Spartanburg partnered with Partners for Active Living (PAL) to widen sidewalks, install bike lanes and extend existing trails. PAL also created the state’s first bike-share systems, including BCycle. The city has already seen significant economic benefits, including many new downtown businesses. Approximately 6,500 BCycle riders have made over 11,000 trips around the city since 2011.
The City of Walterboro is in the process of renovating the connector loop to I-95, which will include sidewalks, bike lanes, street lamps and decorative lighting. The loop is designed to draw tourists from the highway to Walterboro’s attractions, including the Great Swamp Sanctuary, a popular destination for walkers, cyclists and school groups. With as many as 85,000 motorists using I-95 on busy days, Walterboro stands to benefit significantly from increased tourism as a result of this project.
Many other communities across South Carolina have had success in creating built environments that promote active lifestyles, and in doing so have seen economic and fiscal benefits. The ten communities highlighted in this report range in size, region, and demographics, and their efforts can serve as models of success for other communities in the state. To learn more about what South Carolina communities are doing to promote healthy, active lifestyles, visit www.esmmsc.org.
“I’m very excited that we have something here in this building that will offer something other than salt and fat,” said Merrell Johnson, Office of Human Resources at the SC Judicial Department. “When we found out we were getting this canteen and that it was going to offer healthy options, I think everyone in our office was excited.”
“State and local governments have an important opportunity to support employees and the public in their efforts to make healthier choices,” said Hannah Walters, senior manager for policy and community initiatives at ESMMSC. “Even better, we know that stocking healthier options can be good for business and health. That’s a win-win.”
The number of local Eat Smart Move More coalitions, has increased to 26, thanks to the desire of partners in Pickens County to make system changes that provide healthy options for all of their residents. Chapter partners are: SC Department of Social Services (ABC Quality), Safe Kids Upstate, SC Department of Health and Environmental Control, Pickens City Recreation Department, Pickens County School District, Southern Wesleyan University, The Samaritan Health Clinic, SC Inclusion Collaborative, Foothills Community Health Clinic, Baptist Easley Hospital, East Pickens Baptist Church, Anmed Health, and Cannon Hospital.
