Increasing Healthy Habits

Story in Brief

Healthy behavior habits worldwide have decreased since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. UGA Extension answered by redeveloping traditional programming, which is proven to increase healthy attitudes, to distribute via online formats. The Ware County Extension agent recreated traditional health and wellness programming to present via virtual formats, partnering with other agencies, including the Okefenokee Regional Library System, Unison Behavioral Health, and UGA Extension agents in Ware and other counties to expand program reach. Programming included a monthly Yoga for Kids series; Wellness Series for Garden Gate Rehabilitation Center; Once Upon a Rainbow - an Summer Reading Program nutrition series; Eat Healthy, Be Active – a childcare provider nutrition training series; Movement Monday series, and a Walk-a-Weigh series. These free series addressed nutrition, physical activity, hydration, smarter food shopping, and other health and wellness topics that teach skills to adults and youth to adopt life-long good health habits. Lessons were taught through live streams available through Zoom and Facebook Live, and pre-recorded videos on the county Extension Facebook page, YouTube, and through an email listserv. These virtual programs generated a combined reach of 10,395 individuals. This is a 91 percent increase from the number of participants from traditional health and wellness programming in the previous year.

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• Increasing Healthy Habits in Ware County