As many of you are aware Kentucky’s burden of disease is among the highest in the nation. According to the Centers for Disease Control, Kentucky ranks 2nd in the nation for heart disease incidence, 9th in the nation for diabetes prevelance and 6th laziest state in the nation for inactivity by Bloomberg Businessweek.  While there has been improvements in the number of individuals diagnosed with diabetes and we are not as inactive as we used to be, there is still room for improvement!  Many Kentuckian's are at immediate risk of developing these chronic diseases due to the current rate of obesity at 31.3% of our population, and 5th in the nation for percent of the residents who are obese .  Being overweight and obese substantially increase one’s risk of developing many chronic diseases.

In an effort to increase physical activity among adults and youth in our county, the Franklin County Health Department in collaboration with several other community partners, sponsors a program called “The Longest Day of Play” (LDOP). Last year we had approximately 1206 people attend the event, which invited families to come out and “play” for an evening. Numerous activities were made available for all age groups to encourage the incorporation of physical activity in their daily routines.