According to the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System, dietary behavior and inadequate physical activity are two of the leading causes of death and disability among youth and adults.  The McCracken County Cooperative Extension Service along with Four Rivers Behavioral Health participated in a cooking series over a four-month period.
       The Zone is a teen and young adult drop in center.  The program that was offered was an eight-week series called Teen Cuisine.  Sessions included lessons and hand on experiences such as knife skills, hand washing, and easy to make recipes.  
 Improvements were shown in the following areas:

•67% choosing lower-fat foods when available
•75% eating more vegetables
•83% consuming more fruits daily
•67% more frequent handwashing
•58% now wash their fruits and vegetables before eating them
•75% increase in physical activity
•67% reduced sedentary lifestyle

This program has not only shown a significant increase in better nutritional habits, physical activity, and kitchen safety, many youth described their enjoyment of the program.  One youth stated, “I am excited to make vegetable stir-fry for my family”.  Because of the effectiveness of this program several new activities are being offered at the Zone for the youth to continue to develop healthy lifestyle habits.