The Roadmap to Wellness is out there.

LiveWell Northwest Florida is offering the 36-page booklet for free online. LiveWell Northwest Florida is an outreach effort of the Partnership For a Healthy Community, which has been studying health issues in the Escambia and Santa Rosa county area for years.

Studies by Partnership for a Healthy Community have documented that Escambia and Santa Rosa counties have above-normal rates for tobacco use and unhealthy weight. In addition, too many people overuse emergency departments for primary care medical coverage.

The Roadmap is one of several steps the Partnership has planned to address the toll these health issues take our community's health, well-being and economic prosperity.

The Roadmap spells out ways to encourage healthy eating and increased physical activity and to cut tobacco usage through individual and employer-supported programs. The booklet details the high costs of poor health choices:

— An employee who smokes will cost an employer an extra $5,800 in additional insurance, absenteeism and lost productivity.

— An obese employee will cost an employer at least $2,030 per year.

— Some 130,000 residents of the area are considered obese; another 160,000 are overweight.

Among LiveWell Northwest Florida's initiatives are:

— Expanding the 5-2-1-0 program, which emphasizes the value of eating five or more fruits and vegetables per day, two hours or less of recreational screen time (tablet, TV, computer, etc.), at least one hour of physical activity, and zero sugary drinks.

— Developing a pilot program to reduce overuse of emergency rooms for non-emergencies by improving communication between health care providers and social service providers to improve access for patients to the most appropriate facilities.

— Studying criteria for certifying area businesses/churches/not-for-profit organizations as "Live Well" organizations.

— Planning the second Community Health Summit on Nov. 14. The Roadmap and other current efforts grew out of last year’s summit, which drew businesses, government leaders and nonprofit organizations.

“We urge people to read the Roadmap and see how we can significantly improve our community’s health,” said David Sjoberg, Partnership for a Healthy Community Board Member. “Many of our recommendations will prevent health problems and allow us, as businesses and individuals, to spend our money on other improvements in our lives.”