Success StoryExploring My Plate with Professor Popcorn Encourages Physical Activity and Better Food Choices



Exploring My Plate with Professor Popcorn Encourages Physical Activity and Better Food Choices

Author: Kimberly Ragland

Planning Unit: Boyle County CES

Major Program: Leadership 4-H Core Curriculum

Outcome: Intermediate Outcome

In the 2015-16 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, the national obesity rate for children ages 2-19 was 18.5%.  In 2017, the Centers for Disease Control reported Kentucky youth in grades 9-12 had a 20% rate of obesity with an additional 16% of youth categorized as overweight.  Kentucky is notoriously inactive, ranking 50th in the CDC’s 2017 Behavior Risk Factor Surveillance System with 34.4% of adults reporting no physical activity or exercise other than their regular jobs in the previous 30 days.  Furthermore, Kentucky ranked 45th (CDC, 2003) in the number of adults reporting consuming five or more fruits and/or vegetables daily (18.2%).  In 2017, the CDC found that 51% and 49% of Kentucky adolescents (ages 9-12) reported eating fruits and vegetables respectively less than one time each day.  Given all that, it’s little surprise that 19.3% of Kentucky’s 10-17 year olds are obese, ranking as the third heaviest state (2016-17 National Survey of Children’s Health). The Boyle County Extension Council has identified helping youth (middle school age and younger) to make good food and physical activity lifestyle choices as a primary focus of the Boyle County 4-H program.  “Exploring My Plate with Professor Popcorn” series is offered annually to all local schools grades K-3.  Schools are offered a five-meeting series with each meeting to last approximately one hour.  Each daily program included a pre-test, review of My Plate, in depth look at the pyramid or a food group, a physical activity, a post test, and a tasting party.  The 4-H Agent developed the class materials and foods based on the Professor Popcorn curriculum and, along with 4-H Program Assistants, taught classes in local classrooms.  Forty-seven classrooms (grades K, 1st, 2nd, and 3rd) in the Boyle County and Danville Independent school systems requested the series reaching 1,140 students.  Highlights of the evaluations of all 1st-3rd grade classrooms include:

23% point increase in the number of 3rd graders reporting eating vegetables every day.

22% point increase in the number of 3rd graders reporting eating fruits every day.

14% point increase in the number of 3rd graders reporting physical activity every day.

12% point increase in the number of 3rd graders reporting they will ask their families to have cut up vegetables available for them to eat.

72% point increase in the number of 1st and 2nd graders who could correctly identify when they should wash their hands.Ex

23% point increase in the number of 1st and 2nd graders who could correctly identify physical vs. resting activities.

52% point increase in the number of 1st and 2nd graders who could correctly identify grain foods.

11% point increase in the number of 1st and 2nd graders who could correctly identify high protein foods.






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