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Domain: Community Health The mission for community health To identify current community and health service gaps and ways to fill the gaps to expand livability for IRC residents who become ill, get hurt, or need assistance so they can access and afford health services, community supports and wellness activities. This domain includes components from two additional World Health Organization domains: Outdoor Spaces and Buildings and Social Participation. The upheaval of the last two years; the pandemic, school closures, isolation, separation from family and friends, racial trauma, and economic upheaval have accelerated alarming increases in mental health and healthy weight issues. The prolonged stress experienced by adults and children linked to the pandemic, is seriously affecting mental and physical health, including changes to weight, sleep, and alcohol use. According to the most recent Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) data, adult obesity (body mass index of 30+) rates now exceed 35% in 16 states. Florida's rate of obesity in 2020 was 28.4%, part of a rising trend since 1990. From 2018 to 2020, the rate of students at or above the 95th percentile in body mass index (BMI) in the county increased from 8.3% to 10.5% for middle school students and from 10.6% to 12.9% for high school students. Furthermore, 59.7% of adults reported being either overweight or obese in Indian River County. These alarming rates are of significant concern in the Indian River community, particularly due to the projections that the trend of overweight and obesity will continue to increase because of the COVID-19 pandemic Being overweight and obese has serious health consequences including coronary heart disease, Type 2 diabetes, certain cancers, hypertension, stroke, liver and gallbladder disease, and sleep apnea. There are also economic consequences associated with being overweight and obese. In addition to the costs related to the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of many of the associated comorbidities and conditions, there are indirect costs from decreased productivity and missed work and school, as well as costs associated with loss of future income due to premature death. There are several factors involved in being overweight and obese, which makes it a difficult issue to address. Health behaviors, such as exercise and diet, genes, the environment, certain medical conditions and medications can all play a part in causing individuals to become overweight and/or obese. Exercise and movement have repeatedly been linked to positive changes in health with better weight control, reductions in pain, lower risks of chronic illness and "boosts" in brain health. Frequent comments from respondents of the Livable IR Survey highlight the need for "affordable exercise," "low-cost wellness programs for seniors." A few comments about health and supportive services showed the respondent's wish for "affordable anything." A higher percentage of concerns about lack of parks, walking paths and recreation areas, came from the western region of the County (Zone 7). Livable Indian River Action Plan 9 30