Children, adolescents, and adults reported adopting healthier behaviors after participating in a Hearts N' Parks program, a community-based initiative launched in 1999 to combat the growing trend of obesity and the risk of coronary heart disease in the United States.

The program, developed by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) and the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA), focuses on encouraging Americans of all ages to aim for a healthy weight, follow a heart-healthy eating plan, and engage in regular physical activity.

A new report, based on written questionnaires administered by Hearts N' Parks program staff to more than 1200 children, adolescents, and adults on their knowledge, behavior, and attitudes regarding heart-healthy eating and physical activity, found that participants in the program improved in nearly every indicator.

"High blood pressure, high blood cholesterol, diabetes, heart disease, and stroke – these are just a few of the health problems that obesity and overweight contribute to," said Dr. Claude Lenfant, director of NHLBI, a component of the National Institutes of Health.

"Hearts N' Parks is all about bringing what research has shown about the health risks associated with overweight and obesity to the community – and empowering people to make better lifestyle choices in order to improve their overall health," he added.

More than 50 Hearts N' Parks sites ("magnet centers") are now active in 11 states: Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Michigan, Missouri, Nevada, New Mexico, and Ohio.

Other sources: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute