On January 19, 2006, the Mississippi State University Extension Service
held a Kick-off Event to introduce the freshly created “Mississippi Body
Walk.” The Mississippi
Body Walk is a new and unique health education program designed to educate
elementary school students across the state of Mississippi on the
importance of being physically active and making good nutrition choices.
The program provides education and activities that enable youth to learn
skills needed in making good nutrition choices and developing a healthy
lifestyle.
The Body Walk was created to address good nutrition and healthy lifestyle
choices to students in grade levels K-5. Statistics show that among
American kids, less than 15% of schooled children eat the recommended
servings of fruit, less than 20% eat the recommended servings of
vegetables, about 25% eat the recommended servings of grains, only 30%
consume the recommended milk group servings, and about two-thirds eat more
fat than is recommended. Lifestyle choices made at early ages have a
direct impact on adult health. Students need to learn about healthy
lifestyle choices and to avoid behaviors that have an adverse impact on
adult health. Teachers need additional resources to increase nutrition
knowledge and improve eating skills of elementary school students. Body
Walk can help meet these needs.
The Body Walk consists of a 40-foot by 40-foot walk-through exhibit
representing the human body,
classroom activities for use prior to and following the students’ walk
through the exhibit,
a
take-home activity book,
and many more educational resources
for students to read with their families.
Body Walk was
developed by Kansas State Department of Education Nutrition Services. The
MSU Body Walk program is a part of the Mississippi State University
Extension Service and was created with the assistance of the University of
Arkansas Division of Agriculture Cooperative Extension Service. This
program received its funding through the Mississippi State University
Extension Service, Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi Foundation, the
Partnership for a Healthy Mississippi, the Attorney General’s Office for
the State of Mississippi, Mississippi Rural Health Corps, and the
Mississippi 4-H program.
If your
organization is interested in learning more about the Mississippi Body
Walk, please visit
http://msucares.com/bodywalk/index.html.
