One Step at a Time

According to the Lane Report for Statistics, Kentucky adults have the sixth highest obesity rate in the United States.  The director of a men’s recovery center was concerned with the gentlemen [AW1] in this facility becoming “couch potatoes” and gaining weight during their recovery therapy.  He contacted the Boyd County Nutrition Education Program (NEP) Assistant expressing concern regarding the weight gain of the residents. Of particular concern was that residents were gaining weight by eating high-fat foods and consuming drinks high in added sugars. Research shows that this type of diet can lead to diseases such as diabetes, kidney disease, and heart disease.

The NEP assistant partnered with the recovery center and taught weekly classes with the residents using the Healthy Choices for Every Body curriculum.  During the lessons, the residents were encouraged to walk the three blocks to the extension office to increase their physical activity.

As a result of participating in the seven required lessons, all eight residents reported that they were now taking daily walks and increasing the distance walked each week.   One resident commented that they were making some of the new residents walk with them.  Another resident commented that “he didn’t know fresh air felt so good!” A few months into the series, one resident drove the recovery center van to the extension office for class after the others had walked over.  When leaving, he offered to drive all the residents back to the recovery center, but they all declined (5 out of 5) and walked back to the facility instead.