"Everyone is beginning to understand that by making even small adjustments in their nutrition and physical activity, they are empowered to make these changes for life. It’s not a diet – it's a lifestyle change."
Pat Owen, Project Coordinator
Mississippi In Motion

When Mississippians join together with the goal of reversing our state’s health image, it really shows. Through the Mississippi In Motion program and the Mississippi State University Extension Service, along with funding from the Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi Foundation, 1,205 participants lost 6,203 pounds and gained a new lease on life with overall improvements in their health.

“Programs focused on healthy lifestyles are an excellent way to address all chronic health conditions,” said Jane Clary, PhD, RN, MS, CHES, Associate Extension Professor, Department of Food Science, Nutrition, and Health Promotion. “And the team approach makes Mississippi In Motion less of a meeting-type of program and more like a weekly visit among friends who are supporting one another.”

Social support is indeed a large aspect of the program. Research has shown that if one spouse is overweight, the other spouse is more likely to be overweight as well. But if they work together to lose weight and improve their health, they are more likely to see positive results. Program coordinators anticipate parents bringing their healthy habits home to their children, further increasing the program’s positive impact.

“If parents are modeling healthy behaviors for their children, the children are more likely to continue as they grow and develop their own lifestyle habits,” Clary says.

Participants are encouraged to eat five to nine servings of fruits and vegetables each day, and to incorporate the fundamentals of the USDA Food Pyramid Guidelines into their diet. They are also given pedometers and challenged to exercise at least 30 minutes each day. The program also encourages attendance at 7 out of 10 educational sessions.

The final portion of the program includes a lifestyle survey to measure participants’ lifestyle and health improvements. Participants noted a significant increase in fruit, vegetable and water consumption combined with a significant decrease in BMI, weight, glucose and blood pressure. And, while many weight-loss programs can be costly, participants of Mississippi In Motion pay a nominal fee of $5, which funds the celebration and awards ceremony at the program’s culmination.

“Everyone is beginning to understand that by making even small adjustments in their nutrition and physical activity, they are empowered to make these changes for life,” says Pat Owen, Project Coordinator. “It’s not a diet – it’s a lifestyle change.”