Kentucky ranks among the top seven states in the United States for poverty and the ninth highest state in the country for food insecurity. In addition, Kentucky’s self-reported prevalence of obesity among adults is 31.6%, which ranks it as number six in the states with the highest adult obesity in the U.S. and another 35.1% of the population was overweight. Relatedly, 46.2% of adults in Kentucky report consuming fruit less than once a day, 24.9% report consuming vegetables less than once daily, and only 46% achieving the equivalent of at least 150 minutes (about 2 and a half hours) of moderate intensity physical activity per week. The Nutrition Education Program revised the Healthy Choices for Every Body curriculum between 2022 and 2024. It is the primary adult curriculum used by NEP Assistants for EFNEP and SNAP-Ed work and provides standardized educational programming across the state for adults.

In 2023-24, NEP assistants were trained by state NEP staff to begin implementing the new curriculum. The lessons focus on improving diet quality, improving food resource management, increasing food preparation and food safety practices, and increasing physical activity. The results for 749 participants who completed the program:

1. 98% showed improvement in one or more areas of diet quality.
2. 94% showed improvement in one or more food resource management practices.
3. 79% showed improvement in one or more physical activity behaviors.
4. 86% showed improvement in one or more food safety practices.