The Mayor’s Healthy Hometown Movement (MHHM) represents Louisville Mayor Jerry Abramson’s commitment to developing a long-term, multi-phase program that builds on social marketing and public/private partnerships to“create a community wide culture that encourages and supports healthy lifestyles by promoting increased physical activity, better nutrition, healthy public policy and access to needed resources.” Led by the Louisville Metro Department of Public Health and Wellness (LMPHW), the MHHM unites diverse community partners from business, schools, government, academia, neighborhood groups and non-profit organizations to coordinate activities that will increase physical activity and healthy eating to improve the health status of Louisville Metro residents.
The MHHM focuses on the benefits of physical activity and nutrition, providing information and examples that demonstrate how to implement physical activity and incorporate nutrition choices as part of daily life.
Initially, the MHHM targeted city employees, private sector employers and public/private partnerships with the goal of providing excellent examples and model programs for neighborhood organizations, schools, worksites and individuals. The goal is to include healthy behaviors and choices in every community conversation.
The Mayor's Healthy Hometown Movement goals for Louisville citizens are:
- Increase the number of Louisville Metro residents who engage in 30 minutes of moderate physical activity at least 5 days a week.
- Decrease the percentage of overweight or obese people in Louisville Metro.
- Increase the number of Louisville Metro residents who eat five or more servings of fruits and vegetables per day.
- Develop a strong baseline of worksite wellness programs and activities in the community.
- Improve health equity by supporting physical activity programs in communities most adversely impacted by poor health.