According to the 2020 report by the Kentucky office of drug control policy, “substance abuse remains one of the most critical public health and safety issues facing Kentucky”.

Studies indicate that as many as 88% of people who struggle with chronic substance abuse disorders have poor appetite and diet quality overall. A paper published in The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics suggests that hands-on classes covering easy recipes, snack preparation, grocery shopping and budgeting may help addicts transition to a healthy life at home after leaving the treatment center.

The Christian County Nutrition Education Program SNAP-Ed assistant taught the Healthy Choices for Every Body curriculum at a local recovery center. The residents were taught general nutrition, meal planning, food safety, grocery budgeting, and reading nutrition labels. Additionally, information was given on the benefits of limiting added sugars, unhealthy fats and sodium and increasing physical activity. The residents were provided with recipes and handouts about the covered subjects with the hope this information would help with the clients’ transition to a healthy life.

134 residents participated in the Healthy Choices program with 65 of them graduating after completing 7 required classes. According to the exit questionnaire:

1. 92% of participants show improvement in one or more diet quality indicators such as eating more vegetables or fruit and drinking less soda
2. 95% showed improvement in one or more food resource management practices like making lists and planning meals
3. 52% showed improvement in physical activity behaviors.
4. 86% showed improvement in one or more safety practices like proper food thawing, and handwashing with 73% of them using a meat thermometer more often.