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Louisiana-based Ochsner Health System has partnered with a local grocery chain on an initiative aimed at promoting health and wellness education, Health Leaders reports. The Choose Healthy program teams the nonprofit health system of seven hospitals and 35 health centers in southeast Louisiana with the supermarket chain Rouses, which has 35 locations throughout Louisiana. Specifically, the effort seeks to educate individuals about the importance of nutritious food and healthy lifestyle choices, disease prevention, and regular medical screenings and checkups. Customers will have access to Ochsner education materials, as well as to free health screenings, including blood pressure, cholesterol, glucose and body fat. In addition, the Choose Healthy Web site features a tool that allows visitors to create a grocery list consisting of healthy food choices that are available for purchase at Rouses stores. The site also includes information on smart food choices, proper meal planning and disease-specific diet alternatives. Meanwhile, the grocery store has added "shelf talkers" tags that indicate healthy products. The program also encourages the purchase of locally grown and produced products, such as fresh local vegetables and seafood, which are good for both weight reduction and local economy promotion, according to Health Leaders. In addition, the store's "Chef Nino" will be incorporating lighter and heart-healthy recipes into his cooking demonstrations. Commenting on the program, an Ochsner executive notes that "unless we get to where people actually buy their groceries, our success rate [in addressing obesity] is going to be pretty low," adding that "right now they don't know what to do, and they don't have the time to do it. We need to solve those problems for them" (Simmons, Health Leaders, 9/28/09).