New health chief wants healthy habits for Oklahoma

The Tulsa World is reporting that the new Commissioner of Health for Oklahoma wants to improve the health of individuals by addressing key risk factors for heart disease and stroke. Obesity and tobacco use are the two biggest controllable risk factors for cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes and other chronic health problems.

Commissioner Dr. Terry Cline said he would like to see better nutrition, more physical activity, and smoke-free workplaces to combat these diseases. From the article:
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"These are constants," said Cline, who was appointed commissioner effective June 30. "These are not issues that are created or solved as problems easily or quickly."

Oklahoma has been engaged in a war on tobacco and has made progress, Cline said. But efforts to reduce tobacco use, including making all restaurants smoke-free, will continue, he said. "
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The American Heart Association stands ready to promote policies that will reduce obesity and tobacco use in Oklahoma and applauds Commissioner Cline for making these issues a priority. See the rest of the article here