What can we do?

The Initiative advocates that all residents of Effingham County make a conscious decision to live a healthy lifestyle. Everyone is asked to do their part in creating a culture where we all choose to practice good nutrition and exercise regularly.

Eight Core Turning Points for lifestyle changes:

  1. All county residents practice good nutrition and exercise regularly: by eating five or more fruits and vegetables daily, and by walking or doing some other type of exercise every day.
  2. All employers create healthy work environments, including participation in worksite wellness promotions and activities.
  3. City and county leaders design the community for active living, including walking paths, bike lanes, parks and recreation centers, and the community uses them.
  4. Restaurants provide healthy menu options, and the community chooses them.
  5. Vending machine companies provide healthy snack selections in all public vending machines and the community buys them.
  6. Schools involve students in 30 minutes of exercise every day, and students participate.
  7. Physicians and other providers candidly confront weight, nutrition and exercise issues with their patients as a routine part of their practice, and patients follow their recommendations and advice.
  8. The Public Health Department works with health providers to make nutrition and fitness education available to all county residents, and all of us learn more about eating right and staying fit.