In many rural Georgia communities, there are few safe routes, away from high-traffic areas, that allow opportunities for physical activity. Without this infrastructure, walking in the community can be unsafe and difficult.

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program - Education, or SNAP-Ed, was launched in 1992 as the nutrition education arm of SNAP, the nation’s largest and oldest nutrition assistance program that provides economic benefits to low-income individuals and families. The program that began with just seven states providing nutrition education is now in its 30th year.

The University of Georgia Cooperative Extension diabetes prevention program has received the highest recognition offered by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The CDC’s Full Plus certification is reserved for lifestyle change programs that have effectively delivered a quality, evidence-based program that meets all the standards for CDC recognition and additional retention thresholds.

As the new year approaches, many people discover a renewed enthusiasm for self-care and self-improvement. Georgia residents looking for guidance on matters of health, healthy relationships, financial literacy and more can count on University of Georgia Cooperative Extension for a wealth of resources to help reach those goals.

Health and the holidays aren’t typically a natural fit, but Bradley Averill, a UGA Cooperative Extension Family and Consumer Sciences agent for Madison and Oglethorpe counties, is determined to change that by stepping into the holiday season with health top of mind.

Obesity affects millions of Americans and increases the risk of stroke, Type 2 diabetes, heart disease and other causes of premature death. The percentage of U.S. adults with obesity has risen steadily from 13.4% in the early 1960s to the current average of more than 42%.

The University of Georgia Griffin campus will hold its inaugural Dawg Dash 5K on Saturday, Nov. 16, at 9 a.m. on the campus located at 1109 Experiment Street in Griffin, Georgia.

The holiday season can be a challenging time for those who are trying to live a healthier lifestyle. From office parties to classic family get-togethers, it seems every event brings an endless array of delicious home-cooked dishes. It’s easy to see why so many Americans relinquish their commitments to eat smarter around the holidays. 

Family and Consumer Sciences (FACS) Agent Ines Beltran, of University of Georgia Cooperative Extension in Gwinnett County, recently combined two of her favorite things — teaching people how to improve their health and visiting her home country of Colombia. She taught UGA Extension’s Healthy Brain program to more than 220 students at the University Corporation God’s Minute in Bogotá, Colombia.