ACHIEVE's target population will be the residents of Forrest and Lamar Counties.

The combined total population of these counties is 123,056.  The median household income of Forrest County is $32,393 and the median household income of Lamar County is $46,528.  In Lamar County, 10.6 percent of individuals live below the poverty level, and in Forrest County 25.9 percent live below the poverty level.  In Lamar County, 82.5 percent of residents are Caucasian, 14.6 percent are Black or African American, and all other races account for 4.2 percent.  In Forrest County, 61.3 percent of residents are Caucasian, 34.8 percent are Black or African American, and all other races account for 5.6 percent.  The Mississippi State Department of Health has declared that “obesity in children and adults is a leading health concern for Mississippi."  Obesity contributes to the major chronic disease killers in the state, which are heart disease, diabetes, and certain cancers.