In Kentucky, at least one out of every three adults (34.2%) and children (37.1%) are overweight or obese, more than one out of every five Kentuckians (16.8%) and Kentucky children (21.9%) experience food insecurities, and one out of every three Kentuckians (29.8%) are physically inactive (SNAP-Ed, 2017). In Campbell County (population 92,488), adult obesity is 32%. There are 12.9% of the county who are food insecure, 13.2% of the population below poverty and 17.8% children living in poverty. Twenty-four percent of the county is physically inactive.  Youth gardening programs have shown increases in youth vegetable preferences, vegetable consumption, knowledge in nutrition and plant science, and engagement in physical activity (Spears-Lanoix, et. al, 2015). As part of a pilot project, The Campbell County Cooperative Extension Service (CES) personnel in 4-H Youth Development, Horticulture, and Family and Consumer Sciences hosted and attended the Junior Master Gardener/Learn, Grow, Eat, Go in-service held on September 19-20, 2017. At the in-service, county CES personnel were trained by the Junior Master Gardener National Program Coordinator and collaborated as a county team to develop a implementation plan for their county. 

From January through May, the Campbell County CES Office collaborated with the Newport Intermediate School to conducted an after school enrichment program using the Learn, Grow, Eat, Go curriculum in which 10 youth participated. During the program, youth engaged in hands-on activities to learn about such topics as nutrition, garden science, physical activity, food preparation, and fresh vegetable and fruit tastings. Ronda Rex, Agent for Family & Consumer Sciences Education, taught 3 classes of the program focusing on the 5 Senses involved with tasting foods (tasting Cinnamon Carrot Crunch recipe), Go, Slow, and Whoa Classification (tasting Mint Sugar Snap Peas recipe) and the 1-Week Dinner Tracker. Pre- and post-test surveys were given and post surveys revealed that 90% of the children could correctly name the basic needs of plants. One hundred percent could list the 4 parts of the plant that we eat and could name examples of foods in each food group on the MY Plate model. One hundred percent of the children could name: the 5 Senses involved in tasting foods, examples of Go, Slow, Whoa Foods and correctly evaluated a 1 Week Meal Plan. The evaluation indicated that 100% of youth participants tried 16 different vegetables and fruits. Eighty percent stated that they had never tried Bok Choy and 50% had never tried Swiss Chard before the program.  Seventy percent stated that they now love gardening due to the program. Due to the interest and success of this program, the Campbell County CES Office plans to conduct the Learn, Grow, Eat, Go Program as another after school enrichment program again in the Spring of 2019. One of the youth, Evelyn, stated that she was glad that the recipe that was sampled had a Spanish version so that she could share it with her mother who did not speak English as a first language. The Campbell County CES team assisted the University of Kentucky, Ashley Osborne, in post surveys. 

References:

Erica, C. Spears-Lanoix, MA. E., Lisako, J., McKyer, PhD, MPH., Evans, A, PhD, MPH., McIntoch, W, PhD., Ory, M, PhD, MPH., Whittlesey, L, MS., Kirk, A, MPH., Hoelscher, M, PhD, LD, RD., Warren, L,, PhD. (2015, December). Using Family-Focused Garden, Nutrition, and Physical Activity Programs To Reduce Childhood Obesity: The Texas! Go! Eat! Grow! Pilot Study. Retrieved from http://jmgkids.us/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/LGEG-Published-Pilot.pdf. 

County specific data on obesity, Marisa Aull (with Nutrition Education Program) at marisa.aull@uky.edu. 

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Education (SNAP-Ed) 2017 Annual Report. (2017). University of Kentucky. Retrieved from https://kynep.ca.uky.edu/files/2017-snap-ed-annual-report.pdf. 

Kids County 2017 county data book http://kyyouth.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/2017_KidsCount.pdf

Feeding America: Map the Meal Gap 2017 http://www.feedingamerica.org/research/map-the-meal-gap/2015/MMG_AllCounties_CDs_MMG_2015_1/KY_AllCounties_CDs_MMG_2015.pdf 

County Health Rankings & Road Maps http://www.countyhealthrankings.org/app/kentucky/2018/rankings/campbell/county/outcomes/overall/snapshot