title: If we build it, we will come: a model for community-led change to transform neighborhood conditions to support healthy eating and active living.
abstract: Neighborhoods affect health. In 3 adjoining inner-city Cleveland, Ohio, neighborhoods, residents have an average life expectancy 15 years less than that of a nearby suburb. To address this disparity, a local health funder created the 2010 to 2013 Francis H. Beam Community Health Fellowship to develop a strategic community engagement process to establish a Healthy Eating & Active Living (HEAL) culture and lifestyle in the neighborhoods. The fellow developed and advanced a model, engaging the community in establishing HEAL options and culture. Residents used the model to identify a shared vision for HEAL and collaborated with community partners to create and sustain innovative HEAL opportunities. This community-led, collaborative model produced high engagement levels (15% of targeted 12 000 residents) and tangible improvements in the neighborhood's physical, resource, and social environments.
authors.affiliation: Vedette R. Gavin is with Case Center for Reducing Health Disparities at MetroHealth and the Saint Luke's Foundation, Cleveland, OH. Eileen L. Seeholzer is with the Center for Healthcare Research and Policy and Department of Medicine, the MetroHealth System, and Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH. Janeen B. Leon is with the Center for Healthcare Research and Policy, the MetroHealth System, and Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine. Sandra Byrd Chappelle is with the Saint Luke's Foundation. Ashwini R. Sehgal is with the Case Center for Reducing Health Disparities at MetroHealth and Department of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine.
authors.forename: Vedette R
authors.initials: VR
authors.lastname: Gavin
authors.forename: Eileen L
authors.initials: EL
authors.lastname: Seeholzer
authors.forename: Janeen B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Leon
authors.forename: Sandra Byrd
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Chappelle
authors.forename: Ashwini R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Sehgal
mesh_terms: D002947:Cities; D019058:Community Networks / Q000458:organization & administration*; D003256:Community Participation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003469:Culture; D004032:Diet; D004779:Environment Design; D005260:Female; D005381:Financing, Organized; D015438:Health Behavior; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000458:organization & administration*; D054624:Health Status Disparities; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D017146:Models, Organizational; D009043:Motor Activity; D009820:Ohio; D011204:Poverty Areas; D016730:Program Development; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012111:Residence Characteristics