THE SIGNIFICANCE OF FRUITS AND VEGETABLES IN THE DIET

08/15/2018

PATARA STRUNK

EXPANDED FOOD AND NUTRITION PROGRAM ASSISTANT

PERRY COUNTY KY

The Perry County Cooperative Extension Service’s Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program assistant partnered with Kentucky River community Care to bring the Healthy Choices curriculum to a group of young women with children. The Centers for Disease Control’s 2018 State Indicator Report on Fruits and Vegetables states that “Only 1 in 10 US adults eat the recommended amount of fruits or vegetables each day, with 7% of adults who live at or below the poverty level meet the vegetable daily recommendation.”

13 of the ladies who met weekly for the series of classes finished the program. All participants were at or below the poverty level and only 25% reported having enough money for food.

After the conclusion of the group, data reported 92% of (or 12 of 13) participants showed improvement in diet quality. The impact of the program showed 38% of participants eat red and orange vegetables more often each week with 46% eating fruit more often each day.