The CDC’s 2021 dietary and physical behaviors survey among high school students concluded that certain students are not engaging healthy dietary behaviors post covid 19 pandemic. “These findings are particularly concerning because of the association between poor dietary behaviors and insufficient physical activity and numerous chronic health conditions and poor mental health. Understanding current dietary and physical activity behaviors among students and comparing them to prepandemic data can identify areas of high need and be used to influence longer-term physical and mental health outcomes through primary chronic disease prevention strategies.”

To address this issue the Butler County Nutrition Education Program Assistant partnered with the first-year health classes at the Butler County High School to teach Teen Cuisine. The classes consisted of sixty students in the fall and seventy-five students in the spring at the Butler County Extension Office. The series of lessons focused primarily on diet quality and physical activity. Each class encounter included nutritious recipes prepared and encouraged. Also, the need for physical activity was addressed by students playing My Plate Relay and open discussion on the benefits of physical activity and eating My Plate. The fall class showed an 83% increase in diet quality and 67% increase in physical activity. The spring class demonstrated an 84% increase in diet quality and 65% increase in physical activity. 

The Butler County Nutrition Education Program Assistant and the Butler County High School Freshman Health Classes partnered to address these issues post pandemic and help the students of Butler County overcome obstacles that may be prohibiting healthy lifestyles.