Fitness & Nutrition

Fitness Reaching Older Gen’s (FROG) is an exercise and nutrition program designed to help older adults improve their mobility and strength to help prevent injuries caused by falls.

About 13% of America’s population is age 65 or over. Many changes take place as we age, such as: diminishing sense of taste and smell, tooth loss, and change in energy levels. These are all normal processes of aging.  Exercise and nutrition will give you the tools to increase your energy level, give you ideas to perk up your meals, show you how to improve your muscular system and increase your strength.  

Communities providing this program are Imperial, McCook, Curtis, Trenton, Indianola, Benkelman, Grant,  Stratton, Cambridge, Arapahoe and Beaver City.               

If your organization, or you personally, would like to take advantage of this free program, please call our office to get you started.

The annual Walk to Health program was developed in 2004 as a part of a NDHHS Block Grant promoting Health People 2010.  The objective of this program is to build awareness of individual physical activity within the eight county health district.  Additionally, the program will evaluate any changes in individual health habits.

The program kicks off in June each year and continues for twelve weeks. It is a self motivated program in which you log your walking steps to track improvements.  At the end of the twelve week program, an ending evaluation form is submitted.  Incentives and prizes are awarded to those who achieve their goals.

Participants will receive a walking journal and a monthly newsletter.  The newsletter is full of fitness information and healthy recipes.                                                      

 June 2011 Newsletter    June 2011 YOUTH Newsletter

July 2011 Newsletter        July 2011 Youth Newsletter

August 2011 Newsletter     August 2011 Youth Newsletter

Teaching Our yoUth Choices-Activities and Nutrition or TOUCAN is a program developed through the Safe Routes to Schools grant with McCook Public Schools in 2007.  With an Intervention Implementation Grant through the Office of Community Health Development from Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services, TOUCAN is teaches K -3rd graders proper eating habits, the food guide pyramid (mypyramid), physical activity, physical activity in relationship to calories consumed, and exposes the children to calorie counting. 

Providing education at a young age to choose healthier options and/or choices for nutrition and physical activity, will eventually reduce childhood obesity. The TOUCAN program is also mentoring with McCook Public Schools and Medicine Valley Schools to encourage school policy and environmental changes utilizing the Alliance for Healthier Generations program.       

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Southwest Nebraska Public Health Department and McCook Public Schools host the annual Kids Fitness and Nutrition Day. The event brings area 4^th grade students together for a fun day learning about fitness and nutriton.

According to Overweight Among Nebraska Youth, a study by Nebraska Health and Human Services, for the 2002-2003 academic school year, one in every three Nebraska students is either at risk for becoming overweight or is currently overweight.  More specifically, 19% of third through fifth graders in South Central Nebraska are overweight.  While children become less fit each year, we hope to reverse this trend with events such as the Nebraska Kids Fitness and Nutrition Day (NKFND).  NKFND provides students, classroom teachers, and physical education teachers with an interactive day of physical activity and nutrition education. 

While at the event students and teachers are invited to participate in approximately two hours of physical activities conducted by faculty, students and athletes. Children will be stepping, jumping and learning new skills as they enjoy 16 fun and interactive stations.

Participants also attend six nutrition education stations. Components of instruction include basic nutrition, the relationship between diet and general health, energy balance, nutrition for proper growth and development, healthy food choices, snack alternatives, and food safety.