NATCHEZ — Mississippi broke a five-year streak in 2010 by coming in third — not first — on the list of highest obesity rates, but the childhood obesity is still a vital community issue, Natchez-Adams School District school nurse coordinator Marla Farmer said.

The district made strides Thursday evening to promote healthier living and push the state further down the list by hosting NASD’s first Family Fun and Fitness Night.

Instead of sitting in front of the TV, many students and parents came to NHS campus to jump rope, Hula-Hoop, practice yoga and circle around the Healthy Snack Walk until the music stopped.

Fourth grader at McLaurin Elementary School Brianna Jackson said she came out to the event because she wanted to have fun with her teachers and learn about fitness.

Jackson also scored snacks of strawberries and sandwiches without loads of mayonnaise and washed it down with bottled water.

“I learned how you stay active to stay in shape,” Jackson said, fresh off the Hula Hoop.

Tamika Ford, a teacher at Central Alternative, brought her 1-year-old, Derion Ford to the family night for an early start on fitness.

Ford said she makes sure her son plays outside as often as possible, something she said she wants him to get used to at a young age.

“(Starting early) will probably keep him active instead having couch potato children or video game children,” Ford said.

Mississippi Parent-Teacher Association President Deloris Irving enjoyed some new fitness moves she learned.

“I actually enjoyed doing the windmill,” Irving said, demonstrating the move.

Irving said she enjoyed the age-appropriate activities offered and the district’s goal to change the mindset of families to live healthier.

Farmer said the family fitness night was hopefully an event NASD will host annually.

Superintendent Anthony Morris gathered the nursing staff, physical education teachers and parents center coordinators together this year to address child obesity in the district, Farmer said.

The family fitness night was one of the ideas the group came up with it to expose children and their parents to new ways to exercise at home and eat healthy.

Instead of winning a cake, families won fruit, peanut butter crackers and granola bars when their place was called out at a Healthy Eating Walk.

Local grocers and restaurants donated of the healthy food. Even McDonald’s donated yogurt parfaits.

Farmer said the Southern culture of celebrating everything with food, which is often fried, helped Mississippi’s obesity rates get to where they are.

Celebrating with food is fine, Farmer said, as long as healthy choices are available.

Farmer said restaurants usually have healthy options on the menu, but families need to be trained to choose healthier options.

Childhood obesity can cause problems with asthma, diabetes, blood pressure and sleep, to name a few, Farmer said.

She said the school district is attempting to take a stand against obesity from as early an age as possible.

And by educating children on healthy living and involving their families, Farmer hopes what they learn will become habits at home.

Farmer said the school district got rid of deep fryers in all of the cafeterias last year to improve the diet of children at school.

Small decisions like less mayonnaise or cheese on sandwiches or ordering fatty or sweet salad dressings on the side and dipping a fork into it, can make a difference.

“(The district) has really realized that health affects (students’) futures,” Farmer said.