Most recent statistical information provided by the CDC as well as The State of Obesity, Kentucky has a reported 34.3% adult obesity rate with 37.3% of adults aged 26-44 being classified as obese.  The obesity rate amount Kentucky adults has been steadily increasing since 1990.   Also frightening is that 39.4% of Kentucky residents suffer from hypertension with a steady increase in reported cases since 1990.   Without some significant dietary and physical activity changes among Kentucky residents, these numbers will only continue to increase.  This prompted the University of Kentucky Nutrition Education Program (UKNEP) SNAP-Ed Program Assistant to pair up with employees from the Garrison Head Start program in an effort to educate parents on proper nutrition, exercise and food budgeting.  Using the Healthy Choices for Everybody curriculum, the SNAP-Ed Program Assistant held 10 monthly meetings with parents whose children were enrolled in the Head Start program in an effort to better the overall wellbeing, choices and shopping habits of these parents to increase their longevity for their children’s sake.

During the series of lessons, some parents were hesitant to open up about their eating choices however, midway through, they became much more relaxed and receptive to the information as well as willing to make corrections as needed to their choices.   As a result, 100% of the participants showed improvement in their diet quality.  In addition to this, 100% showed an improvement in their physical activity as well.  During the initial meeting, parents expressed concern at the idea of getting 30 minutes of physical activity each day due to the demands of having young children at home.   The SNAP-Ed program assistant presented the participants with a variety of ideas for getting extra physical activity in a daily routine and challenged the participants to attempt some of these ideas or even come up with their own.  As a result, parents reported making minor changes in their daily habits that enabled them to get a minimum of 30 minutes of physical activity each day.    Some parents reported an hour or more each day!  One parent stated “I want to be around to see my children have children, so that’s enough of a reason for me to change.”

In addition to the improvements in diet quality and physical activity, 65% of participants reported an improvement in their food resource management.  Meal planning, coupon use and shopping list preparation had become rather commonplace among the participants.  Due to this, 50% of participants become more secure in their ability to have the amount of food needed to fulfill their family needs.   The participants were thrilled with the improvements they had made within themselves and for their families.   “There’s enough to worry about when you’re raising kids in today’s world, so teaching them unhealthy habits or worrying about having enough food shouldn’t be part of that” stated one parent.   Her commitment to change alleviated a big part of her concerns and opened the door to a much healthier life for herself as well as her family.