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It's a New Day in Public Health.

The Florida Department of Health works to protect, promote, and improve the health of all people in Florida through integrated state, county, and community efforts.

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Healthy Communities of Florida

Florida Department of Health in Hardee County

What is Healthy Communities of Florida?

The number one public health threat to Florida's future is unhealthy weight.

Currently, only 36 percent of Floridians are at healthy weight. On our current trend, by 2030, almost 60 percent will be obese. Additionally, 6 out of 10 children born today will be obese by the time they graduate high school.

Over the next 20 years in Florida, obesity is expected to contribute to millions of cases of preventable chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease and cancer, costing an estimated $34 billion. To address this important public health issue, the Department of Health launched the Healthiest Weight Florida initiative in January 2013. Healthiest Weight Florida has since been renamed Healthy Communities of Florida.