High blood pressure affects nearly 28% of the adult population in Kentucky.  In Boone County 34% of residents have been told they have high blood pressure.  Fortunately high blood pressure can be treated and controlled by making lifestyle changes.  The Boone County Nutrition Education Program organized a series of classes at Arcadia Park Senior Apartments once a week for 10 weeks for 20 participants.  Lessons were focused on maintaining a normal weight, exercising, and most importantly bringing awareness to reducing daily sodium intake to about 1 teaspoon of salt (2,300 milligrams), or less, which has been proven to lower blood pressure.   The assistant collected common food packages for participants to examine and compare products.  Through group discussion and observation activities they were able to make recommendations for healthier choices and identify products to limit.  The group had 100% behavior change in using nutrition fact labels to make food choices, and 100% are now not adding salt to their food.

One participant, Kathy S., commented that she was attending the series because she was just not feeling “right”, and she was looking to improve her health through diet.  The nutrition assistant’s activities brought awareness to the amount of sodium in some of her weekly meal plans that included salty canned soup and sauerkraut.  During the series, she visited her family doctor and was in fact diagnosed with high blood pressure.  She worked with the assistant to develop and write sensible meal plans to help manage her new health issue.

Data from: Cabinet for Health and Family Services and KY Health Facts.org