Chronic Disease and Injury Prevention

Chronic diseases are the leading cause of death in the United States and account for three out of every four deaths. Examples of chronic diseases include heart disease, cancer, stroke, diabetes, and hypertension. These diseases are not contagious. They develop slowly over time, and there may  be no symptoms before onset. Risks for developing chronic diseases are significantly influenced by lifestyle behaviors, like nutrition, physical activity, and tobacco use.  We cannot control all of our risks factors, but we can do our best  to control those we can. 

Though there are many things we can do as individuals, supporting more spaces and systems that promote healthy living is also critical to preventing disease and improving quality of life. Ensuring that homes, workplaces, neighborhoods, healthcare centers, and schools are offering an environment and culture that supports wellness is a priority for this program, especially in regards to reducing health inequities based on income, region, or other socioeconomic factors.

Recommendations for a healthy lifestyle:

Active Living

• Be active at least 150 minutes a week with moderate intensity physical activity, for at least 10 minutes at a time (or 30 minutes a day, five days a week).
• Do muscle-strengthening activities that are moderate or high intensity and involve all major muscle groups on two or more days a week.

Healthy Eating

• Increase fruit and vegetable consumption to at least 5-9 servings a day.
• Reduce consumption of "junk" foods, or foods considered to have minimal nutritional value.

Tobacco-Free Living

• Do not use cigarettes, cigars, pipes, smokeless tobacco, electronic smoking devices, or any other form of tobacco product.
• Minimize exposure to secondhand smoke.

The CDIP Program staffs two local coalitions with a broad range of membership. These coalitions are dedicated to improving individual behaviors and the systems and environments in which people live so that healthier living is easier. Learn more:

• Austin Tobacco Prevention & Control Coalition
• Central Texas Diabetes Coalition

Programs and services offered to help prevent and manage chronic disease include:

• Get Active: Learn more about getting more active through our Walk TX and More 10-week challenge, yoga classes, and the Active Living plan.
• Eat Healthy: Find healthy drink recipes, take the pledge to drink more water, and tips on eating healthier.
• Diabetes Education and Prevention Classes: Learn more about diabetes prevention and find out how to enroll in the Diabetes Empowerment Education Program.
• Tobacco/Smoking Cessation and Prevention: Find great resources about tobacco-free living where you live, work, and play, as well as cessation resources.
• Fresh for Less Healthy Food Access Project: Find healthy, more affordable food.
• Know the facts about stroke.
• Learn about heart attack symptoms, risks, and recovery.
• Our worksite wellness program can help you assess and customize wellness programs for your unique workplace through technical assistance in topic areas including:
  • Tobacco-free Living
  • Physical Activity
  • Nutrition
  • Mother-friendly Workplaces
  • Health Education & Prevention Services
• Healthy Schools program can help you design a healthier school through our technical assistance.