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Marion County Community Health Improvement Plan

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission is eyeing a rule that would allow employers to raise employees' health insurance premiums if their Body Mass Index is considered too high or unhealthy. But a study by UCLA researchers published last month buttresses what health experts such as Dr. Michelle Cardel of UF’s College of Medicine, have been saying: BMI is not the ultimate gauge of a person's health, and that being healthy is not just about weight but other factors, such as how much fat someone has and where that fat is stored. (Paola Kizette Cimenti/Creative Commons/Flickr)
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission is eyeing a rule that would allow employers to raise employees' health insurance premiums if their Body Mass Index is considered too high or unhealthy. But a study by UCLA researchers published last month buttresses what health experts such as Dr. Michelle Cardel of UF’s College of Medicine, have been saying: BMI is not the ultimate gauge of a person's health, and that being healthy is not just about weight but other factors, such as how much fat someone has and where that fat is stored. (Paola Kizette Cimenti/Creative Commons/Flickr)

The Florida Department of Health in Marion County has a new Community Health Improvement Plan. A year-long effort to craft the plan produced the four strategic areas of Healthy Aging, Access to Care, Wellness and Primary Prevention, and Behavioral Health.

Craig Ackerman, operations director of DOH-Marion County, said specific goals should help the community achieve better health outcomes over the next three years.

"Some of it is low-hanging fruit that we're going to be able to meet those activities and goals pretty quickly," Ackerman said. "Some of them maybe a stretch and you want a little bit of both in this type of plan."

He said the four work groups that created the strategic areas will meet quarterly to assess progress. Ackerman said some goals may need to be adjusted during the three-years of the plan.

You can see the full plan HERE.

Mike is a multimedia content producer for WUFT News and can be reached by calling 352-273-2274 or emailing mloizzo@ufl.edu.