Holy Cross Health Promotes Healthy Choices - Implements Five Initiatives to Fight Obesity & Stronger Tobacco Policies

(Silver Spring, Maryland) - Holy Cross Health continues to demonstrate its commitment to improving the health of the community. In addition to the more than 50 different types of health and wellness classes it provides, Holy Cross Health is addressing policy, systems and environmental changes to reduce obesity and promote tobacco-free living.

In an effort to improve the health of the entire community, Holy Cross Health has implemented five initiatives to reduce smoking and obesity in the communities it serves.

1. Transforming Communities Initiative – Funded by Trinity Health, The Healthy Montgomery Transforming Communities Initiative (TCI) is a multi-year effort to implement a range of policy, systems and environmental change public health strategies that can reduce obesity, promote tobacco-free living, and address social factors that impact community health, with a particular focus on the communities of Gaithersburg, Germantown, Long Branch and Takoma Park. The TCI is a Montgomery County collaborative consisting of Holy Cross Health, a member of Trinity Health, the Institute for Public Health Innovation which is serving as the lead agency, and Healthy Montgomery, Montgomery County's local health improvement coalition.
   
   
   
   
2. Tobacco 21 – Tobacco use remains the leading cause of preventable death in the United States, killing more than 480,000 people each year. Each day, 400 kids under the age of 18 become regular, daily smokers; and almost one-third will eventually die from smoking. If current trends continue, 5.6 million of today’s youth will die prematurely from a smoking-related illness.
   
   
   
   
   High tobacco taxes, comprehensive smoke-free laws and comprehensive tobacco prevention and cessation programs are proven strategies to reduce tobacco use and save lives. Increasing the minimum legal sale age for tobacco products to 21 complements these approaches to reduce youth tobacco use and to help users quit. Learn more about the Tobacco 21 effort.
   
   
   
   
3. Smoke-free Movies – For nearly a century, tobacco companies have exploited movies to sell smoking. The Hollywood studios have known since 2003 that smoking on screen is physically hazardous to children and teens and the CDC reports that on-screen smoking will recruit six million new young smokers in this generation. To get smoking out of the movies that kids see most, while respecting the creative freedom of filmmakers, the Smoke-free Movies campaign recommends a set of policies to discourage tobacco industry interference in movies.
   
   
   
   
4. Healthy Vending – Holy Cross Health is transforming its vending environment to support healthier living by reducing the percentage of sugar sweetened snacks and beverages offered in vending machines. Holy Cross Health challenges businesses, governments, churches, and other organizations to join in. No one needs to take this journey alone.
   
   
   
   
5. Increase Breastfeeding – Breastfeeding has been shown to be one of the most effective preventive measures mothers can take to protect their children’s health, including reducing the risk of childhood obesity. Holy Cross Health is taking action to give babies their healthiest start by creating an optimal level of care that encourages breastfeeding to improve the health of mom and baby.

For more information, contact Kimberley McBride, vice president, community health, at 301-754-7149.

For press inquiries, contact Kristin Feliciano, chief strategy officer, Holy Cross Health, at 301-754-7017.

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Holy Cross Health, founded in 1963 by the Sisters of the Holy Cross, is a comprehensive Catholic health care delivery system that includes two hospitals and a network of community health centers in Montgomery County, Maryland. Holy Cross Hospital, the largest hospital in Montgomery and Prince George's counties, is located on the Kevin J. Sexton Campus of Holy Cross Health in Silver Spring. Holy Cross Germantown Hospital is the first hospital in the nation located on the campus of a community college. Holy Cross Health Network provides primary care at health centers located in Silver Spring, Aspen Hill, Gaithersburg, and Germantown and community education throughout Montgomery County. Holy Cross Health is a member of Trinity Health, one of the largest multi-institutional Catholic health care delivery systems in the nation.