Success StoryFocus on Improving Health and Nutrition



Focus on Improving Health and Nutrition

Author: Deborah Messenger

Planning Unit: Cumberland County CES

Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General

Plan of Work: Nutrition, Food Systems and Health Promotions

Outcome: Initial Outcome

According to the 2019 Health Profiles, Cumberland County has an obesity rate of 36% percent which is above the state level of 34%. Also, Cumberland County has a physical inactivity rate of 33% which is also above the state percentage which is 29%. As an effort to increase students awareness and improve behaviors related to good nutrition, the Cumberland County Family and Consumer Sciences agent and the Cumberland County Agriculture and Natural Resources agent partnered with Kindergarten through Second grade classes in CCES to offer OrganWise Guys and introduce students to fresh fruits and vegetables. The OrganWise Guys program is designed to increase fruit and vegetable consumption and increase physical activity among participants. 

197 students participated in the monthly program which was presented in the classroom. Students read a book and participated in supplemental learning activities to support the month's educational message. Each lesson promoted the nutritional value of fruits and vegetables and the advantage of being physically active every day. Raised garden beds have been installed at the Cumberland County Elementary School and students are beginning to learn how to prepare the beds and start fruit and vegetable plants for the growing season.

According to pre and post-evaluations, Kindergarten students went from an average overall score of 88.48% to 98.07%. Specifically, students made improvements in the areas of healthy snack choices (89.39% to 99%), healthy choices for breakfast (80.3% to 96.64%), and activities that are healthy choices for the body ((84.85% to 99.02%). 

First grade students went from an average overall score of 75% to 93.23%. Specifically, students made improvements in identifying vegetables (91.49% to 97.06%), identifying foods that are good sources of calcium (38.30% to 99.02%), and knowing which activities would be healthy after-school choices (76.60% to 99.02%)

Second grade students went from an overall average score of 95.54% to 99.39%. Specifically, students made improvements in food safety (96.43% to 99%), healthy snacks (96.43% to 100%) and identifying high-fiber foods (83.93% to 100%).






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