Jessica Vincent
Instructor of Health Programs
Phone: (501) 671-2391
Fax: (501) 671-2294
Email: jvincent@uada.edu
Arkansas High Obesity Program is an initiative through the University of Arkansas
Cooperative Extension Service to address obesity in these 11 Arkansas counties: Bradley, Crittenden, Cross, Desha, Drew, Hempstead, Lee, Monroe, Ouachita, Phillips, and St. Francis.
This project focuses on making community-wide, lasting impacts with a special emphasis on policy, systems, and environmental change.
Our goal is to increase access to healthy foods in the communities we serve. We work with local food pantries, farmers’ markets, community gardens, and local businesses to increase the availability of healthy foods. Expanding farmers’ markets and community gardens, and increasing the healthy food offerings at local food pantries are just some of the ways we are reaching our goal.
Increasing access to physical activity opportunities in our communities is a project priority! By improving access to everyday destinations through traffic calming measures, crosswalks, and way-finding signage, community members have access to safer means of physical activity.
We also work with city government to find funding opportunities for sidewalks, playgrounds, and park enhancements.
Make Your Community More Active
How do we reach our goals? We work with community coalitions to identify project strategies and implement positive changes in the community. Our coalitions are made up of local health champions, city and county government, and concerned citizens who want to make their communities healthier, safer places to live.
