Introduction
        Heart disease and stroke, cancer and diabetes are the most prevalent, costly and preventable chronic diseases.  Sedentary lives and consumption of convenience foods: two considerable lifestyle factors negatively affecting the health of all residents of Jackson County.
          Although our county is rural and boasts a seasonal farmers market and many citizens plant spring and fall fruit and vegetable gardens 79.1% adults consume less than five servings of fruits and vegetables daily (Charts 2006). Additionally, with numerous and varied opportunities for participation in physical and recreational activities (i.e. walking, hiking, swimming, golfing, city recreation league sports, aerobics, etc.) 56.1% of adults report no moderate physical activity and 83.0% report no regular vigorous physical activity (Charts 2006). Consequently adult overweight and obesity levels are significant at 31.7% and 28.1% respectively (2006).
         To further complicate and worsen the situation these detrimental daily life behaviors are being emulated by our children. Many children are being seen in physician’s offices and clinics not only presenting with common childhood ailments but excessively high weights, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, mobility difficulty, low self-esteem, and depression.
Obesity and its associated diseases and conditions are non-discriminating and unrelenting in its punishment on the body, mind and the spirit.

Mission
          The Jackson County Healthy Communities, Healthy People Program is entrusted with instituting a program that provides the community and individuals the knowledge, tools and motivation to make healthy nutrition choices and to become physically active and fit throughout the life cycle.
          The Healthy Communities, Healthy People Program supports the community at large by increasing awareness of the need for nutrition and fitness policy and initiatives.
          The program provides data and information for the initiation and development of environmental improvements that are conducive to elimination of barriers to health and safety for all residents.

Program Approach
          A holistic approach encouraging small, incremental and attainable improvements to diet and fitness routines is central and strongly endorsed by the program.

Improved Health Status
          Recommended alterations in lifestyle are geared to improve
               ●     Nutritional Status
               ●     Cardiovascular efficiency
               ●     Muscular strength and endurance
               ●     Flexibility
               ●     Body composition
          Adopting healthy behaviors such as eating nutritious foods, controlling portion sizes, being physically active and avoiding tobacco use can prevent or control the devastating effects of chronic diseases.

Contact Information              
            Under Florida law, e-mail addresses are public records. If you do not want your e-mail address released in response to a public records request, do not send electronic mail to this entity. Instead, contact this office by phone or in writing.

The Jackson County Healthy Communities, Healthy People Program can be contacted by phoning Mary Beth Gurganus at (850) 526-2412 extension 282 or you may email us at WellnessBuddy@doh.state.fl.us.
 

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