Forty percent of Lewis County adults are overweight and only five percent eat the recommended intake of fruits and vegetables according to Kentuckyhealthfacts.org. Because of high rates of obesity, fifth grade students learn about nutrition using the Professor Popcorn curriculum during their monthly 4-H club meetings. Seven lessons were taught to 146 fifth grade students on nutrition. Students learned about eating healthy, serving sizes, the importance of trying new foods, eating from the five food groups, and making half your meal fruits and vegetables. A challenge was given to participants during their February meeting to try a new food before their March meeting. During the March meeting students tried spaghetti squash. Very few students had tried spaghetti squash with sauce.

At the end of the last club meeting, a survey of fifty-four participants in the program found that 85% of students had tried a new vegetable, 85% had tried a new fruit, 56% had tried a new meat, 59% tried a new dairy product, and 94% tried a new grain or pasta dish. Of the fifty-four participants, 87% said they would continue to try new foods.

During the March meeting forty-five students tried spaghetti squash which is a healthier version of spaghetti with sauce. Eighty-two percent of participants said they would continue to eat spaghetti squash.