Being overweight not only puts physical stress on our bones which can cause joint problems, it can lead to many other issues. Obesity can lead to loss of energy, depression, heart disease, chronic respiratory illness, sleep apnea, high blood pressure and high cholesterol, just to name a few. The Florida Department of Health in Santa Rosa County (DOH-Santa Rosa) has put together a variety of research tools, materials, and internet links to help parents and children find the answers they need to make healthier food choices and be more active.

#HealthiestWeightFL

To address the community health priority of obesity, DOH-Santa Rosa has begun a healthy lifestyle campaign implementing the 5-2-1-0 message. "5-2-1-0 Let's Go Santa Rosa!" It is a colorful, simple, health message that encourages daily habits of eating 5 or more servings of fruits and vegetables, watching 2 hours or less TV, getting 1 hour or more of physical activity and drinking 0 sugary drinks, adding more water & low-fat milk.

The 5-2-1-0 message is designed to engage the community in healthy and active lifestyles. You will find the 5-2-1-0 message in:

• Brochures sent home to students in the schools of Santa Rosa County
• Inclusion on the BMI referral letters sent home by school nurses
• Educational messages posted on the website of DOH-Santa Rosa and community partners
• Educational tools that local health care providers offer their clients

For more information you can view our BMI Brochure (PDF-736KB), or visit Let's Go Northwest Florida!

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) developed My Plate as its new food guidance system, replacing the older Food Guidance Pyramid. The My Plate image is easy to understand and shows suggested portion sizes for each of the 5 food groups. The emphasis of this new graphic is to encourage eating more vegetables and fruit with every meal while not avoiding necessary proteins, grains, and dairy.

DOH-Santa Rosa has partnered with the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI) and the U. S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) to bring our community the We Can!® national education program which provides parents and caregivers with tools to help children 8 to 13 years old:

• Eat right
• Get active
• Reduce "screen" time (time spent watching television, playing video games or being on the computer).

BMI Calculator for Adults

Body Mass Index (BMI) is a number calculated from a person's weight and height. This calculation provides a reliable indicator of body fatness for most people and is used to screen for weight categories that may lead to chronic health problems. The BMI weight categories are:

• Less than 18.5 = Underweight
• 18.5-24.9 = Normal
• 25-29.9 = Overweight
• 30 or more = Obese

To Use the Calculator:

• Enter your weight and height using standard or metric measurement.
• Click on Calculate and your BMI will appear along with links to take you to more information.