About Us

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Eating Good... and Moving Like we Should is a school and community program that aims to prevent and reduce obesity in the Mississippi Delta. The incidence of obesity in the Mississippi Delta is dramatically higher than the national average. The purpose of this project is to combine the best practices of serveral obesity intervention programs to create a successful prevention and treatment program for obesity in the Mississippi Delta. The project goals are to:

1) Prevent obesity in the Mississippi Delta by modeling nutrition and physical activity education and providing orientation to teachers on how to incorportate that education across the cirriculum in third grade. Although all elementary grades will have access to program materials, education and short pre- and post-tests on nutrition information.

2) Reduce the incidence of obesity in the communities of the selected school districts in seven counties in the Mississippi Delta by starting a voluntary weight management program at a central community location.

3) Create healthier school environments in the Mississippi Delta by encouraging system level change such as training and coaching school nutrition directors/managers on meeting the criteria for the USDA's HealthierUS School Challenge, the establishment of school gardens at each participating school, and the increase of opportunities for physical activity.

We are making the Mississippi Delta healthier by providing:

• Evaluation of the health status of children.
• Assistance to school to acheieve a higher Healthier US School Challenge and School Health Index score on the national level.
• Nutrition and active lifestyle education by a Registered Dietitian and Health Educator in the community and classroom.
• School gardens for hands-on nutrition education and physical activity.
• Community healthy cooking classes for children and parents.
• Community outreach at local health fairs, parents groups, and teacher in-services.
• Lead a community weight loss group.