(09/25/24) BATON ROUGE, La. — The LSU AgCenter is taking significant steps to address obesity in Louisiana. More than 35% of adults in the state are affected by this condition, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. New CDC maps show that Louisiana is one of 23 states where adult obesity rates are at or above 35%.

“To address obesity, we can’t just tell people to eat healthy and exercise more,” said Denise Holston, AgCenter nutrition extension specialist and associate professor. “We have to make it safe, easy and affordable for everyone to live a healthy lifestyle. That way, people can actually use the nutrition education we provide.”

The AgCenter is using proven methods to help people live healthier lives and lower obesity rates through its Healthy Communities initiative.

The program works with communities to make them healthier places to live, work, learn and play. AgCenter nutrition and community health agents team up with residents to identify health problems, come up with solutions and put their plans into action. Solutions include things like starting community gardens and farmers markets and improving sidewalks and playgrounds.

One example of the initiative’s impact is making it easier for small, rural towns to access funding for pedestrian infrastructure. These towns often have higher rates of pedestrian fatalities, obesity and lack of physical activity compared to urban areas.

Since partnering with the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development to remove barriers for small towns, 11 rural communities have received more than $13 million to improve local sidewalks and roads. By building complete streets, which provide safe avenues for exercise and active transportation like walking and biking, rural residents can be more physically active.

The initiative also makes healthy food more accessible through market match and nutrition incentive programs. For example, the St. Helena Farmers Market saw a 112% increase in average customers per market after starting a market match program. This program provides a dollar-for-dollar match on fresh produce for customers using nutrition benefits like SNAP and FMNP. The program is now supported by Greaux the Good, Louisiana’s statewide nutrition incentive program.

The AgCenter is committed to working with federal, state and local governments, Louisiana residents, local communities, healthcare providers and public health partners to provide comprehensive support for obesity prevention and community health. By ensuring access to healthy foods, safe places for physical activity and stigma-free nutrition programs, the AgCenter aims to make a lasting impact on the health and well-being of Louisiana residents.

To learn more, visit www.LSUAgCenter.com/HealthyCommunities.

A team from Wisner, Louisiana, participates in a mobility mapping activity for their town at the 2024 Louisiana Rural Complete Streets Summit in Ruston. The AgCenter's Healthy Communities team hosts the summit every other year to help small towns learn how to submit successful applications for pedestrian, bicycle and ADA-accessible infrastructure. Photo by Victoria Darville/LSU AgCenter

Community members in Baldwin, Louisiana, participate in a walk audit led by AgCenter SNAP-Ed field coordinator Jessica Randazzo. Walk audits help communities identify obstacles for walkers, bicyclists and people with disabilities. Photo by Ruthie Losavio/LSU AgCenter

Aulton Cryer Jr., co-owner of Cryer's Family Produce in Mount Hermon, Louisiana, fills an order at the St. Helena Farmers Market. The Cryer family has been growing and selling produce for more than 100 years and is an integral part of the St. Helena Farmers Market. Photo by Ruthie Losavio/LSU AgCenter