Several chronic diseases can be attributed to lack of physical activity, improper eating habits, and poor mental health. These practices are increasingly recognized as serious threats to public health and require efficient programs to alter them. FitBlue is a grassroots initiative in the Bluegrass State aimed at raising people's levels of exercise and health consciousness. When people use the FitBlue app, they gain access to resources that help them adopt a more physically active and conscious lifestyle by concentrating on eating better and exercising more.

Pennyrile Area Family and Consumer Sciences Agents have launched Walktober, a four-week walking challenge through the FitBlue app, to encourage more people to get up and move around the Pennyrile Area.

Participants in this program made conscious efforts to enhance their levels of physical activity and the quality of the food they ate as part of a larger effort to improve their overall health. Ninety-four grownups finished the course. After the program, a survey was given to all participants. 95% of those polled became aware of the benefits of regular physical activity, 92% gained the knowledge and skills to be physically active, and 86% increased their physical activity levels.  95% of respondents increased their level of physical activity; 92 percent said they had learned the skills and knowledge necessary to be physically active; and 86 percent said they felt healthier as a result.

One or more markers of participants' health improved, according to the survey results, in 53% of the sample (cholesterol, blood pressure, body mass index, blood glucose). Aside from individual behavior changes, 51% said they were more aware of places in their community where they could get nutritious foods.

51% said they had altered their own eating habits and were also more aware of healthy food options in their neighborhood as a result.

After finishing the program, most people's favorite parts were the support, incentive, and responsibility they were given. In the words of one participant, "It made me get out almost every day to walk, and I even recruited a friend to walk with me as well." "I appreciated the accountability and wanted to do more and more walking," said another participant. I felt better after reading that.