Healthy Lifestyle Initiative

Making the Healthy Choice the Easy Choice

Since beginning in FY2008, the University of Missouri Extension Healthy Lifestyle Initiative (HLI) has supported four pilot communities as they developed and implemented community action plans focused on increasing the availability of healthy, affordable, locally produced food and safe, accessible physical activity.  During this time, each community engaged a broad spectrum of community members and stakeholders to draft and carry out plans that focus on policy and environmental changes to support healthy lifestyles within their community. 

Improving the health of the whole community – Moving from programs to policy and environmental change

For years, health agencies, organizations, and institutions have worked to improve the health of individuals and communities by delivering programs that focus on changing peoples’ behaviors.  While these programs have had positive short-term results, they haven’t been able to fully address increasing rates of obesity and related chronic diseases.  

Today, there is a growing movement to move beyond programs.  Communities across the country are developing comprehensive, sustainable approaches to address preventable health issues.  They are bringing the entire community together to talk, share resources and begin planning community-wide health initiatives.  They are also focusing their efforts on finding ways to change the policies and environments that influence peoples’ day-to-day activities.