Environmental support for healthy lifestyles at an urban university: Memphis Healthy U

Background: “Memphis Healthy U”, a campus-wide initiative at the University of Memphis, provides environmental support to “move more, eat healthier, and become tobacco free”. Methods: Multiple campus-wide organizations, departments, and vendors collaborate to develop “Memphis Healthy U”, which implements environmental strategies. A website encourages participants to join a support team and increases awareness about campus-wide health collaborations, activities, and resources for tobacco control, healthy eating, and increased physical activity. The University's marketing department campaign includes specific branding that includes a logo, promotional materials, and signage to impact the campus culture toward health. Specific campaign posters, email templates, banners, and a promotional video increase campus awareness for healthy lifestyle choices. ARAMARK dining venues promote healthy food choices campuswide, while posters encourage use of stairs and walking trails. Memphis Healthy U kickoff activities feature pledges, health screenings, Zumba, fitness resources, and fruit snacks. Results:Baseline data (n=223) obtained at the Student Health Fair indicated 47.3% students overweight or obese, with 42% of systolic and 30% of diastolic blood pressure measurements pre-hypertensive or hypertensive. During the Memphis Healthy U kickoff, 285 individuals signed a pledge to Move More, Eat Healthier, and Become Tobacco Free with a cohort (n=195) of participants who consent to follow-up on physiologic outcomes of the program. Additional outcomes include website usage, participation in the online support team, fitness participation, and longitudinal campus dining food inventory/sales data. Conclusions: Complementary partnerships among diverse stakeholders are critical in developing support for campus initiatives that promote health such as “Memphis Healthy U”.