Active Living
AgriLife Extension Family and Community Health educators and volunteers conducted 3,372 educational events on various active living topics that resulted in 161,515 direct contacts. Promotional events and newsletters reached an additional 175,779 contacts for a combined 2024 total of 337,324 contacts. The following programmatic highlights illustrate how AgriLife Extension’s educational programs positively impact the health and well-being of Texans.
Walk Across Texas
Walk Across Texas, WAT, promotes an active lifestyle by encouraging teams to track their physical activity. Supported by locally sponsored challenges, the program engages communities year-round. In fiscal year 2024, 162 counties participated, with 18,848 adults and 22,962 youth logging 4.6 million miles. Participants increased activity by 1.4 sessions and 17.3 minutes per week, with nearly 20% more meeting activity recommendations by the program’s end. Since 1996, it has reached more than 750,000 participants, showcasing statewide behavioral and economic impacts.
Walk Through Texas History
Walk Through Texas History, WTTH, promotes an active lifestyle and explores Texas’ heritage through team-based physical activity tracking. Despite being online, it fosters community engagement through locally sponsored challenges with events and activities. In FY 2024, 1,504 adults logged 119,297 miles across 17 counties, forming 303 teams. Participants increased activity by 1.1 sessions and 9.1 minutes per week, with nearly 20% more meeting activity recommendations by the program’s end. Since 2020, it has engaged over 3,500 participants, highlighting its health, community and cultural impact.
Walk Across Texas provided structure and goals for my fitness journey … I am thankful this program got me to walk more. I feel better mentally, physically, and have more energy.”
I benefited from it [Walk Through Texas History program] because it caused me to be more active … I have never walked before this much but I absolutely love how refreshing it is and I’m going to be doing it a lot more. It also made me a lot more aware to be more focused on going outdoors and being active.”
Balancing Food & Play
A school enrichment program for children in third through fifth grades, Balancing Food & Play promotes lifelong healthy behaviors through nutrition, physical activity and family engagement. Based on MyPlate and the Social Cognitive Model, it engages children in fun and creative ways to develop healthy habits and learn about nutrition and physical activity. In FY 2024, 16 Texas counties implemented the program, with 1,451 students. Evaluation results indicate that students increased their physical activity levels and fruit consumption while decreasing screen time and intake of sugar-sweetened beverages.
A Matter of Balance
AgriLife Extension’s Healthy Aging programming helps provide education, resources and support to older Texans, their caregivers and the professionals who serve them. One such program, A Matter of Balance, helps older adults increase their physical activity and reduce their risk for falling, the leading cause of unintentional injury death in the state. In FY 2024, 243 older Texans participated in A Matter of Balance.
Balancing Food & Play has had an amazing response with students. They love all the interactive games and activities. They help remind each other to make better food choices during lunchtime and to get off their phones and online games after school and on the weekends.”
I fell about two weeks ago. I used what I learned in class to protect myself and was able to pull myself up.”
