“According to 2019/2020 data from the State of Childhood Obesity website, the obesity rate among children ages 10-17 in Kentucky has increased from 19.3% to 23.8% in three years.” The newest data shows roughly one in six youth are obese.

In conjunction with Hebron’s Summer Youth Program, Boone County’s Nutrition Education Program Assistant taught a weeklong nutrition program to 86 youth in Boone County. Each day the assistant read a story and provided hands on food demonstrations on the five food groups. The children were encouraged to try new and healthy snacks provided by the nutrition assistant. Parent newsletters were sent home daily with the children, explaining to the parents what lessons were taught and included a healthy recipe to try at home with the family. The purpose of these newsletters was to reinforce lessons and promote parental involvement. 

And the end of the weeklong program there was a picnic lunch where the parents were invited. During this time a parent commented “I really appreciated the lessons my daughter learned, she asked me to buy blueberries, mangos, and broccoli for her to snack on.“ 

Promoting healthy behaviors in a child’s early years, can help form healthy habits that grow with them into their adulthood. These healthy lifestyle changes can help prevent obesity and the development of chronic disease such as diabetes, heart disease, and some cancers. 

References:

Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. (2021, October). Obesity rate for youth ages 10 to 17. The State of Obesity. https://stateofchildhoodobesity.org/children1017/