Obesity leads to two of the top killer diseases in the world, stroke and heart disease. According to the CDC, 60-70 percent of individuals in the United States suffer from obesity. Among children in the U.S., obesity prevalence is 13.9% among 2- to 5-year-olds, 18.4% among 6- to 11-year-olds, and 20.6% among 12- to 19-year-olds. Obesity is caused by several factors outside of just diet and exercise. These factors include medication, lifestyle factors, diet choices, food quality, genetics, and many other physiological factors. However, the two main treatments for obesity are heavily focused on diet and exercise. 

We are focusing on this problem here in Menifee County by leading our Health and Nutrition program with grades 3rd-8th. Menifee County Family Consumer Science Agent and Senior SNAP-NEP Assistant teamed up to offer this Health and Nutrition program in Menifee County. The program includes a nutrition and healthy choices lesson as well as an exercise component. This program lasts one hour, during which students are exposed to different types of movement, exercise, and food choice education. We are seeing more sedentary activity among children in schools than ever before, and unless students are involved in extracurricular activities such as sports, at home activities remain at the same sedentary level if not more. 

The Health and Nutrition education program in Menifee County is designed to give students ideas on how to get moving more and make smarter food choices. The program impact was, at the beginning over 90% of students said they drink more than one sugary drink a day. At the 6th and final session of the program over 50% of students said they cut down to one sugary drink per day. 100% of students could identify that water was the healthier choice to make over soda and fruit juice. In the beginning of the program 10% of students could identify that adults need 30 minutes of exercise per day while children need 60 minutes. At the end of the program, 90% of students can identify adults need 30 minutes of exercise per day while children need 60 minutes of exercise per day. For adults that's 150 minutes a week and children that's 420 minutes a week. 

This program will continue in Menifee County for 3rd-8th graders in hopes that it will add to their development and overall health and well-being.