During the past year, 23 participants in a Natchez-Adams County Diabetes and Heart Disease Prevention Program lost a combined total of more than 500 pounds.

Congratulations to them. Their efforts are a shining example of what can be achieved if you pay attention to diet, exercise and stick to it.

The program has been administered for the past two years by the Copiah-Lincoln Community College’s Natchez campus to help curtail the instances of diabetes and heart disease.

Statistics show that Mississippi has high incidence of diabetes, heart disease and infant mortality, much of which can be prevented by changing diet and exercise habits.

“Like most of Mississippi, Adams County is a rural county that has many health disparities due to poverty and limited access to healthy foods, physical activity, and quality primary health care,” a Clinton Foundation health matters initiative 2015 report states.

Approximately half of the participants in the recent program lost 10 percent of their body weight over the past year, with one participant, Jane Washington, losing 17 percent of her body weight.

Maintaining a healthy diet and lifestyle is not easy. It takes persistence and consistency in paying attention to diet and exercise and that can be tough for most people who are juggling work and family life obligations.

These participants, however, prove it is possible and should serve as an example and inspiration for all of us to do the same.

If we follow their examples, not only will we look and feel better, we also will be healthier and hopefully help reduce our area’s high instance of diabetes, heart disease and other health problems.