Author: Susan Grimmett
Planning Unit: Boyd County CES
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
Outcome: Intermediate Outcome
Agree or Strongly Agree?
According to the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, 34% of American adults are considered obese while in Boyd County, KY that figure is 41%. The director of a women’s drug/alcohol rehabilitation facility contacted the Boyd County Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Education (SNAP-Ed) assistant expressing concern regarding poor dietary habits of incoming patients when being admitted into rehabilitation. Of particular concern was that patients had neglected their physical bodies by choosing foods high in fat, sodium and added sugars and little or no fruits or vegetables. Research shows that this type of eating behavior can lead to diseases such as obesity, diabetes, kidney and heart disease.
The SNAP-Ed assistant partnered with the rehabilitation facility and taught weekly classes with the women in the recovery program using the Healthy Choices for Your Recovering Body curriculum. To promote the importance of fruit and vegetable consumption, the participants played fruit and vegetable bingo. Participants also prepared snack recipes using fruits or vegetables as ingredients. At the end of the series of lessons, the participants were asked three questions.
Will you choose more healthy snacks?
42% agreed while 58% strongly agreed
Do you plan to eat more servings of fruit each day?
16% agreed while 84% strongly agreed
Do you plan to eat more servings of vegetables each day?
10% agreed while 89% strongly agreed
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