On Monday, the Kern County Public Health Services Department launched their Know Your Numbers program in Taft at the Taft Branch Library. The program is a traveling, free program that offers two health screenings informing participants of their body mass index, blood pressure, blood glucose, and cholesterol levels both before and after six weeks of nutrition coaching.
The coaching is offered by Public Health’s Nutritionist and fitness classes are provided at In-Shape Health Clubs. This program will be available every Monday at 27 Cougar Court in Taft from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. from March 7 through April 18.
In February 2022, Public Health announced a Call to Action to improve overall health in Kern County as the county has some of the highest rates of obesity and mortality due to chronic health conditions in California.
According to Public Health, 78 percent of Kern County adults are either overweight or obese and more Kern County residents die from diabetes than anywhere else in the State. Additionally, more than 50 percent of Kern County’s deaths due to COVID-19 had obesity and/or a chronic condition as a comorbidity.
“As we embark on our road to recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, there is no better time than now to invest in your overall health. Know Your Numbers offers nutrition coaching and fitness routines that you can do within the comfort and convenience of your own home,” says Brynn Carrigan, Director of Kern County Public Health. “This program is designed to help you make easy to implement, long-term, sustainable changes.”
Know Your Numbers is one of several initiatives geared at improving the overall health of Kern County available by Public Health and residents are encouraged to take advantage of these programs:
- Certified Healthy – This program empowers residents to choose local restaurants that offer healthier, more nutritious meal options. “Certified Healthy” restaurants have met our ten nutrition criteria. To find Certified Healthy restaurants near you, download our free Safe Diner App.
- Waste Hunger Not Food – This program rescues wholesome food from schools, restaurants, and markets that would have otherwise been wasted and distributes it to those in need, including locations in Taft.
