Rural Obesity and Weight Control – Models and Innovations

These stories feature model programs and successful rural projects that can serve as a source of ideas and provide lessons others have learned. Some of the projects or programs may no longer be active. Read about the criteria and evidence-base for programs included.

Effective Examples

Trinity Hospital Twin City's Fit for Life

Updated/reviewed November 2018

• Need: To reduce obesity among adults in rural east central Ohio.
• Intervention: Fit for Life Replication Project for Expansion was developed to make it possible to lose weight through practicing healthier lifestyle behaviors.
• Results: Out of the 443 adults who have completed the program, 81% experienced weight loss, a tangible result of the program's overarching goal to enhance levels of health and fitness.

Promising Examples

ALProHealth

Updated/reviewed March 2023

• Need: To improve access to healthy food and physical activity in rural Alabama.
• Intervention: Researchers hold focus groups with community members to identify issues of the most concern and then help them implement appropriate interventions like installing playground equipment.
• Results: From 2014 to 2018, 14 coalitions implemented 101 interventions in 16 communities.

Healthy Early Learning Project (HELP)

Updated/reviewed August 2022

• Need: An ongoing health need to alleviate early childhood obesity in the rural Kansas counties of Marshall and Nemaha.
• Intervention: 5 distinct physical and nutritional programs were introduced to 9 preschool sites through the overarching Healthy Early Learning Project (HELP).
• Results: HELP comprehensively increased children's physical activity and healthy food consumption and established a sustainable presence at each preschool site.

Youth4Health

Updated/reviewed December 2019

• Need: To educate youth about obesity and healthy lifestyle choices.
• Intervention: An educational program about healthy living was implemented in Lincoln and Claiborne Parishes in Louisiana for youth ages 9-18.
• Results: Youth4Health program produced greater awareness and participation in healthier lifestyles by target youth and their families, as well as church congregations.

Other Project Examples

Win With Wellness

Updated/reviewed October 2022

• Need: To reduce risk of obesity and chronic disease in rural northwest Illinois.
• Intervention: Win With Wellness (WWW) collaborates with community organizations and worksites to improve physical activity and eating behaviors and reduce weight among adults using a multi-component approach.
• Results: From 2015 to 2018, the two participating counties initiated 28 Take Off Pounds Sensibly (TOPS) groups with 367 participants. In the second round of funding, WWW recruited 183 participants for 9 TOPS groups and 8 community Heart-to-Heart sites.