According to the Lane Report for Statistics, Kentucky adults have the sixth highest obesity rate in the United States.  The director of a mental health center contacted the Boyd County Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Education (SNAP-Ed) Nutrition Education Program (NEP) assistant expressing concern regarding the weight gain of the residents. Of particular concern was that residents clients were gaining weight from eating high-fat foods, like those from fast food restaurants and frozen foods, and consuming drinks high in added sugars. Research shows that this type of behavior can lead to diseases such as diabetes, kidney disease and heart disease.[AW1] 

The NEP assistant partnered with the center and taught weekly classes with the participants using the Healthy Choices for Every Body curriculum.   During the lessons, the participants were taught how to comprehend recipes, follow recipe directions, and prepare dishes.  Also, the participants and staff were introduced to the planeatmove.com website.  Staff started using recipes from this website to prepare snacks for the clients during the daily treatment times instead of using frozen pre-packaged foods.  [AW2] 

As a result of participating in the lessons, the participants reported that they were now more confident in preparing a dish and understood the importance of reading the nutrition label while shopping to avoid the negative effects on their health. One participant commented that he enjoyed the new cooking skills he learned and that the foods he prepared were better tasting than the frozen foods he was previously eating.  Additionally, a staff member commented she prepared the recipe, Eggroll in a Bowl, for her family and they have requested that she prepare it more often.