Author: Sara Jenkins
Planning Unit: Family and Consumer Sciences
Major Program: Accessing Nutritious Foods (general)
Outcome: Intermediate Outcome
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Kentucky’s self-reported prevalence of obesity among adults is 31.6%, among the highest in the United States. Prevalence of related diseases, such as diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, asthma, and some cancers, is directly proportional. In 2014, 11.3% of Kentucky’s adult population diabetic. According to the American Heart Association, heart disease and stroke are the leading causes of death in Kentucky, accounting for 28% of deaths in 2010. The Food Research and Action Center reports a positive correlation between poverty and obesity, and counties in Kentucky with the highest percentage of poverty, have the highest percentage of adult obesity and diabetes.
To address these issues, UK and KSU EFNEP and SNAP-Ed Nutrition Education Program Assistants deliver nutrition education to limited resource adult audiences in Kentucky using the Healthy Choices for Every Body (HCEB) curriculum. HCEB teaches limited-resource adults about planning nutritious meals on limited budgets, safe food-handling practices, and appropriate food preparation skills needed for a healthy lifestyle. HCEB incorporates lessons and activities that recognize participants’ experiences, skills, and knowledge; explains why, what, and how the nutrition education concepts presented relate to real-life situations; and includes active learning activities, hands-on practice, and demonstrations to help participants understand and apply content. Topics on physical activity and practical ideas for adopting a physically active lifestyle are included in each lesson.
Participant outcomes are measured using the EFNEP NEERS evaluation tool and Kentucky Behavior questionnaire. The pre/post evaluation of 5,656 graduates find the following program outcomes resulted:
In addition to these participant outcomes, the HCEB curriculum has been evaluated from various standpoints to determine program effectiveness and establish it as an evidence based curriculum. As a result of these scholarly efforts, the curriculum was selected to be part of the National SNAP-Ed toolkit and will potentially be used by programs across the nation.
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