Forever Fit- Good Habits for a Lifetime

Elliott County has a forty percent obesity rate according to the Centers for Disease Control. As a final project for a Centers for Disease Control/ University of Kentucky grant to fight obesity,the Elliott County Cooperative Extension Family and Consumer Science agent and the Expanded Foods and Nutrition Education Program assistant senior collaborated with five volunteers to brainstorm about a program that would combine physical activity and healthy eating habits.

The group named the program “Forever Fit- Good Habits for a Lifetime”. The participants accumulated points by being physically active and preparing “Plate It Up” recipes. A face book page was created and each participant posted the physical activities they were doing and pictures of the recipes they had prepared on this face book page. The program lasted for 12 weeks with a “coming together” meeting every 2 weeks at which time the program assistant presented a program from the Healthy Choices for Every Body curriculum. The participants would record their accumulated points at this time to be eligible for a prize.

7 participants completed the program, a total of 65 pounds was lost and 100% reported exercising more because of the program. 43 Plate it Up recipes were prepared , 100% said they will continue using Plate it Up recipes, 71 % said they used newly installed outdoor gyms made possible by Centers for Disease Control/ University of Kentucky grant to battle obesity in Elliott County.