Author: Benita Wade
Planning Unit: Christian County CES
Major Program: Accessing Nutritious Foods (general)
Outcome: Long-Term Outcome
The Christian County Nutrition Education Program (NEP) SNAP-Ed assistant teaches classes from the Healthy Choices for Every Body curriculum at a men's veterans facility. Many of the men are older and have physical challenges in addition to health problems like heart disease and diabetes. Along with the nutritional information, the assistant encourages physical fitness and exercise and gives a physical activity tip with every lesson.
Entry and exit tests show 88% of participants had improvement in one or more physical activity behaviors listed on the test with 75% of the participants exercising for a least 30 minutes more days a week. 57% reported making small changes to be active more often as well.
In addition to increasing their physical activity, many of the veterans improved their diet. 88% of participants showed improvement in at least one area of their diet with 50% drinking less sweetened drinks.
One client reported that he had lost 74 pounds, with "help from this class". He was inspired to change his diet and start a regular exercise program. He mentioned how much better he looked and felt.
Another client mentioned how he loved the healthy food samples and recipes given out in class and he asked for additional recipes as he had renewed his interest in cooking. Several other clients mentioned how they had started reading food labels to help reduce their sodium and sugar intake and were making other changes to improve their diets.
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