Video: ‘Farm To Fork’ Provides Fresh Produce And Promotes Healthy Lifestyles

TUPELO, MISS. (WCBI) – Mississippi continues to have one of the highest rates of adult and childhood obesity in the nation. Those statistics have prompted a health care company to encourage its members to make healthy choices.

Heather Keith made the trip from Pontotoc to Tupelo’s Link Centre for bags full of fresh vegetables, courtesy of UnitedHealthcare’s “Farm to Fork ” Program.

“It helps families out, especially with hard times, families with low incomes and no jobs, it helps a lot,” Keith said.

Keith is a member of United Healthcare Community Plan, administered by MississippiCAN and CHIP. The insurance company handed out more than 80 bags of fresh produce, including locally grown cabbage, sweet potatoes, carrots, bell peppers and onions.

Kobie Wells is supervisor of community outreach for UnitedHealthcare and says the “Farm to Fork” initiative is a way to promote healthier lifestyles and more nutritious diets for members.

“Get to see and get to feel for what it feels like to have good fresh produce into their body, into their system and hopefully that jump starts them to eating healthy throughout the rest of the year, throughout the rest of their lives,” Wells said.

Healthier eating habits, along with preventative doctor visits will also help drive down the cost of healthcare. That is another reason for the program.

“It is a correlation, there is a going to doctor’s office, drives down the cost if you are taking care of your body,” Wells said.

And Heather Keith says she is trying to instill healthy habits in her children.

“It’s very important, we try and show our oldest how important it is to eat, portion wise as well,” Keith said.

Farm to Fork will take place two more times through the summer at the Link Centre. There are 17 other distribution centers statewide as UnitedHealthcare does what it can to encourage members to take personal responsibility when it comes to developing and maintaining healthy habits.

United Healthcare will sponsor a fitness fest August 26 in Tupelo, and they will have a turkey giveaway right before Thanksgiving.