Success StorySugar at Freedom House



Sugar at Freedom House

Author: Connie Downey

Planning Unit: Clay County CES

Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General

Outcome: Long-Term Outcome

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, sugar-sweetened beverages or sugary drinks are the leading sources of added sugars in our diets. Drinking sugar-sweetened beverages can increase the risk for weight gain/obesity, type 2 diabetes and heart diseases. The Clay County Cooperative Extension Service Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Education assistant for SNAP eligible individuals partnered with Freedom House to provide the Healthy Choices for Every Body program to their clients.  

 
 Their clients vary in age from early 20’s to late 40’s. At the end of the program the participants reported an overall 47% decrease in consumption of soda.  Several of the participants stated that they had been unaware of how much sugar and calories they were consuming in their drink choices.