Pop the Added Sugars

Statistics from the Center for Disease Control indicate that the diabetes rate in Kentucky has risen from 4.3% in 1994 to almost 23% in 2017 with the greatest increase of this disease in low income populations.

A seven week program was conducted at a local housing authority by the Boyd County Cooperative Extension Service SNAP-Ed Assistant (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Education Assistant) for the residents.  

The second week’s lesson was taught about Knowing the Limits about solid fats, added sugars, and sodium in our foods.  

Participants realized how much sugar was in their foods after actually seeing the sugar amounts in test tubes. 

One participant stated that he had been told he was prediabetic and would most likely be put on medication when he returned to his doctor.  He stated his breakfast consisted of a can of pop and package of two poptarts.  After the lesson, he changed his usual breakfast to cereal and skim milk. 

The participant stated by the third week of this change, he felt better and did not get that “mid morning sluggish” feeling he had gotten before changing his breakfast diet.  Also by the end of the series of lessons, he had returned to his doctor and his diabetic 90 day average number (A1C) was down and he was not put on any type of diabetic medication.