Healthy Lifestyles

Healthy Ohio focuses on encouraging all Ohioans to be physically active, eat nutritious foods—including the recommended five to nine daily servings of fruits and vegetables—and avoid or stop the use of tobacco.  Inactivity, poor nutrition and tobacco use are three major risk factors that can contribute to overweight and obesity and increase the risk of developing chronic diseases.

Although lifestyle choices and behaviors that affect a person’s health are their own decisions, they are made in large part because of the opportunities available to them.  This includes the area in which they live, local policies that address adding walking and bike paths in the community and other opportunities  that can make healthier choices more or less accessible, affordable, comfortable and safe.  Research shows that individual health-related changes in behavior are often started and continued when supported by policy and community changes that promote and encourage health-focused activities.

Healthy Ohio sponsors a number of health promotion and chronic disease control and prevention programs focused on schools, worksites, healthcare settings and communities that promote making the choice to be healthy easier and provide information and tools to help Ohioans continue a healthier lifestyle.  These programs are designed to encourage Ohioans to lead more active lives, make healthy food choices, avoid tobacco use and receive health screenings—actions that will help reduce the incidence and improve the early detection and long-term management of chronic disease.   

Last updated 3/24/09