Overview
The Healthy Living Task Force is a committee of the Lowndes County Partnership for Health comprised of a cross section of community leaders that are committed to improving the levels of physical activity and proper nutrition in the Valdosta/Lowndes County area. The Task Force had its beginnings in 2005 when the Lowndes County Partnership for Health and Public Health formed the Slim Down Lowndes Obesity Task Force through funding from the state to develop a community plan to combat obesity.
In 2007 Public Health received funding from the Healthcare Georgia Foundation to implement part of plan dealing with combating obesity in Middle School Students. The Task Force helped to oversee the implementation of the grant.
In 2009 the original task force was renamed the Healthy Living Task Force in order to broaden its mission to include the prevention of chronic disease. In late 2009, Public Health received funding from the Georgia Nutrition and Physical Activity Initiative to partner with the Healthy Living Task Force to develop and implement a plan to improve levels of healthy eating and physical activity in Valdosta and Lowndes County. The plan included the following activities:
- Providing physical activity and nutrition information for distribution through local motels
- Recruit physician groups to participate in the "Exercise is Medicine" campaign
- Develop a website ( www.healthyvaldosta.com ) to provide information about all the physical activity and nutrition programs currently being conducted in and around Valdosta
- Implement 6 new walking programs through a mini-grant program
- Increase walkability to schools
- Implement public awareness campaign that addresses the importance of healthy eating
- Implement Operation Frontline program that teaches at-risk youth how to cook and eat healthy
- Become a chapter of the Georgia Coalition for Physical Activity and Nutrition (GPAN)
- Implement a mini-grant program to establish 5 new community gardens
- Increase the number of day care centers that adopt wellness policies
Future plans for the Task Force include establishing regular lunch and learn events for the community and the further development of Operation Frontline and the GPAN Chapter. In addition the Task Force will continue to evaluate community physical activity and nutritional needs while promoting cost efficient solutions.
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