Working on Wellness Environments
Working on Wellness Environments (WOW-E) is a Texas A&M AgriLife Extension multidisciplinary community development program

New Years Resolutions: Setting Successful Goals!

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From Dr. Jenna Anding

In 2015, 71% of Americans made some type of News Years Resolution, some of which included self-improvement, weight, money, and relationships. According to Texas A&M Agrilife Extension, top 3 reasons people tend to abandon their resolutions are 1. The resolution is not realistic, 2. People expect an unrealistic benefit out of the behavior change, 3. The person wasn’t prepared to change.

Texas A&M Agrilife Extension is sharing 6 simple steps to help Texans continue their resolutions throughout the year. These include: 1. Choose one! 2. Set Realistic Goals and be Specific, 3. Make a Plan, 4. Always have a Backup Plan, 5. Get Support, and 6. Reward Yourself!

Finally, be sure to check out Texas A&M Agrilife Extension plan’s here and you can customize the plan to your own needs!

New Infographic for Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity

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By: Leah Shafer Glaser

The CDC has developed Leading Health Indicators (LHI) as part of Healthy People 2020, communicating high-priority health issues and actions that can be taken to address them. Their most recent infographic addresses Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity. It’s a snapshot of progress toward targets — and a place to see where there’s still work to be done. Let’s take a look (full infographic at the bottom of this post).

The first part of the infographic shows the relationship between educational levels and the proportion of adults over 25 who met the guidelines for aerobic activity and for muscle strengthening activity in 2018.

Second, the infographic breaks down rates of adult obesity by race/ethnicity from 2013 to 2016 across the United States. Among Asians, the rate was lowest, at 12.5%. White, not Hispanic, was 37.1%, Hispanic was 44.9%, and Black, not Hispanic, was 48%.

The CDC has Healthy People Targets as part of Healthy People 2020, and this part of the infographic looks at physical activity, where the target was met in 2018. During that year, 24% (age adjusted) of adults 18 years and over met the current federal physical activity guidelines and muscle strengthening activity.

The next part looks at adult obesity, where the goal was not met and a 21% decrease is needed. In 2013-2016 in adults aged 20 years and over (age adjusted), the obesity rate was 38.6%.

Among children and adolescents aged 2-19 years, in 2013-2019, the obesity rate was 17.8% An 18.5% decrease is needed to meet the Healthy People Target in this category.

Finally, the infographic looks at daily vegetable intake for persons aged 2 and over, where a 52.6% increase is needed to meet the Healthy People Target. The mean daily intake was 0.76 cup equivalents of total vegetables per 1,000 calories (age adjusted).

About the CDC Leading Health Indicators

The Leading Health Indicators are a subset of 26 Healthy People 2020 objectives that communicate high-priority health issues. These indicators can help assess the health of the Nation, encourage collaboration across sectors, and motivate action to improve the health of the U.S. population at the national, state, and community levels.

Nutrition, Physical Activity, and ObesityInfographic for Healthy People 2020

A Special Year End Message

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As the year comes to an end, the Working on Wellness Environments team would like to take a moment to reflect on the great accomplishments achieved in 2019. Four counties across the State of Texas are participating in the Centers for Disease Control funded Working on Wellness Environments program. Coalitions in Starr, Webb, Maverick, and Hudspeth counties met in their respective counties to discuss issues in nutrition, food systems, and connectivity to find ways in becoming a more active and healthier community.

In all, we saw  over 40 partners from all kinds of organizations join these efforts. More than 8 coalition meetings were held, 10 RFAs were submitted, and 2 counties have had trainings in playability and walkability.

Counties interested in working with food systems and nutrition were able to conduct site visits with specialists, and in 2020, have upcoming plans to conduct assessments. The Working on Wellness Environments team is very grateful to be working alongside citizen champions who are committed to making their communities healthy.

In certain cases, the holiday’s make it tough to stay healthy with all of the delicious, traditional foods and sweets usually available. Don’t let eating healthy and staying active feel like an impossible feat this holiday season! If you are interested in ways in being healthy this holiday season and jump-starting your healthy New Years resolutions, please check out this resource.

Additionally, please find ways to stay active this holiday season here and here. The Working on Wellness Environments program would like to wish everybody a happy holiday! See you next year!

 

Hudspeth County November Workshops

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By: Kelsey CoatsSierra Blanca Park

The Sierra Blanca Community Coalition has begun planning for their Community PSE Start Up Projects. Last week the coalition invited the WoW-E team to do a Walkability and Park Workshop and to do site visits for their nutrition projects.

On Monday, November 4, the Sierra Blanca Community Coalition hosted the Walkability and Park Workshop at Hudspeth County Agrilife Extension. Representatives from Hudspeth County, Ranch on the Rock, and Hudspeth County Agrilife Extension and key coalition members were in attendance. The WoW-E team facilitated the workshop and went on the walking audit conducted by coalition members. The walking audit covered Sierra Blanca Public Park and examined the area immediately surrounding the park.  After the walking audit the coalition discussed what could be improved to make the area more walkable. They identified areas where crosswalks would be beneficial. The coalition would like to improve walkability to the park as well as other everyday destinations. The coalition also discussed creating and naming walking routes in and around the park.

Sketching proposed trails       Coalition discussing crosswalks around park

The coalition’s next steps are to engage the community about walkability. The coalition plans to pilot test proposed crosswalks with pop ups in late winter early spring. In the meantime, the coalition plans to activate the park to engage community members to find out when and where people walk and what would get them walking more.

On Tuesday, November 5, coalition members gave the WoW-E team of two sites where they are building greenhouses. The first site use to have a fully functioning greenhouse that utilized aquaponics for growing fresh produce. The greenhouse has been unusable for the past year and a half due to damage by feral hogs. The WoW-E project inspired community members to start rebuilding the greenhouse. The second site visited is another area community members are going to build a greenhouse. Upon completion of the greenhouses, the coalition has requested business planning for a farmer’s market. The coalition has connections with local convenience stores who would like to sell more fresh produce. The coalition and convenience are discussing working with the WoW-E team on healthy food displays.

Greenhouse construction site       Greenhouse damaged aquaponics system

The WoW-E team enjoyed learning more about Sierra Blanca’s park and hearing community members ideas to make it more walkable as well as the coalition’s ideas for where and how to sell the produce grown at the greenhouses. The team looks forward to watching these projects continue to grow.

Starr County Workshops

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By: Kelsey Coats

On Tuesday, October 22, the Move Rio Forward working group held a Walkability Workshop and Walking Audit at the Kelsey Bass Museum in downtown Rio Grande City facilitated by the Agrilife WoW-E Team. This focused on two of their Route to Destination (R2D) Community PSE Start Ups in Starr County.

A group discussing a barrier on the route during the walking audit.

A group discussing a barrier on the route during the walking audit.

Move Rio Forward aims to make downtown Rio Grande City more walkable for pedestrians, whether those are locals or visitors. The idea is that people will park in one place and walk around to do their errands instead of driving their car to each place separately. The group also envisions people walking around before or after enjoying a meal downtown.

During the Walking Audit workshop attendees walked the downtown area noting what works and what could be improved for supportive walking environments. In attendance were members of the F.J. Scott Study Club and Woman’s Club RGC, Rio Grande City planners, an Economic Development Corporation representative, a Rio Grande City Public Works representative, members of the Rio Grande City Garden Club, and Starr County Agrilife Extension. The group aims to pilot test pop up crosswalks and signage in early 2020. They also hope that making the downtown area more walkable will revitalize the area and make the community healthier.

Picture showing the group who attended the workshop in their safety vests ready to conduct the walking audit.

The Walkability Workshop Group ready to conduct the walking audit in their safety vests.

On Wednesday, October 23, the Rio Grande City Librarian brainstormed active play and walkability ideas with the Agrilife WoW-E Team. The Agrilife WoW-E Team received a tour of the historic building the library is housed in and learned about services and programs offered by the library. The Rio Grande City Librarian is looking to incorporate active play and walkability into existing library programs and is looking for ways to encourage children and their families to be more active at the library. Because the library is an everyday place, they also seek to make walking to and around the library easier. They aim to incorporate pop-up play into an event before the holidays this year.

The picture shows the Rio Grande City Library exterior.

Rio Grande City Library

The Starr County Health Coalition met to learn about and discuss other initiatives in the county and how to promote them as well as to get an update on the WoW-E project. The Agrilife WoW-E Team is excited to continue working with these groups on their Community PSE Start Ups in Starr County and looks forward to returning soon.

Increasing walkability is of growing importance to communities around the nation, with several notable benefits.

  • Health: Multiple studies point to decreased risk for obesity, diabetes, and heart disease for residents of a walkable neighborhood than those in sprawling neighborhoods.
  • Finances: Walking is low cost and people often do not have to spend money on gas.
  • Happiness: Traffic and congestion can cause frustration.
  • Community: Walkable areas increase interaction with friends and neighbors. It also can help small businesses thrive.

 

Find out more about the Agrilife WoW-E initiatives on our Facebook page, Working on Wellness Environments- Texas A&M Agrilife Extension. To inquire about our walking audits and walkability workshops click here.