The County Health Rankings show us that where we live matters to our health. The health of a community depends on many different factors – ranging from individual health behaviors, education and jobs, to quality of health care, to the environment. Each Kansas county has a ranking and these rankings help community leaders focus on the health problems that need the most improvement.

Click here for an interactive guide to Neosho County’s health rankings.

As part of the 2011 Community Guide mini-grant initiative in SEK, Neosho County aimed to increase physical firness by education residents about exercise and proving opportunities to be physically active. Among other activities, they:

• Created exercise classes that targeted women and older citizens;
• Established exercise programs that increased use of a local walking path;
• Offered nutrition and cooking classes that focused on easy, healthy dishes that used fresh veggies;
• Developed a blog to promote local social support networks; and
• Used traditional and social media outlets to raise awareness of new programs among residents.

Click here to view Neosho County’s logic model and implementation plan.

About:

The Southeast Kansas Meltdown is a 6-week regional challenge designed to improve the health and well-being of residents. Open to anyone age 18 and older, the SEK Meltdown’s goal is to support our region in becoming more active and making healthier choices about what we eat and drink!

Too often the counties in SEK compete against each other.   The SEK Meltdown is still an opportunity for residents from all 6 counties to compete, but in a positive way.  Through the 6-week program participants will join with their neighbors in walking clubs, Zumba classes, line dancing, nutrition and meal planning classes and physical fitness instruction.   Participants will track their progress through secure logins at www.sekmeltdown.com, and are welcome to participate in any SEK Meltdown event in any of the six participating counties.

The SEK Meltdown is an initiative of Thrive Southeast Kansas and the Southeast Kansas Regional Health Initiative, both of which were created to address the chronic health issues that affect the quality of life in our region.

Dates: TBD

Kick-off festivity: TBD

Results from 2011: Coming soon!

• Let’s Move!: The First Lady’s initiative to help families eat healthier and be more active.
• My Plate: The U.S. Department of Agriculture’d easy guide to eating better.
• CDC Exercise Guidelines: Ever wonder how much exercise you’re actually supposed to get in a week? The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention can help!
• Healthy Recipes from the Mayo Clinic: Recipes for better health from a world-renown non-profit that specializes in education, research, and medical care.
• Healthy Recipes from the CDC: Choose from a list of organizations that provide good-for-you, delicious recipes!