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 50^th 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 45^th (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.  Eleven classrooms (grades 2^nd, and 3^rd) in the Boyle County and Danville Independent school systems requested the series reaching 1,140 students.  Highlights of the evaluations of classrooms include:

27% point increase in the number of 3^rd graders reporting eating vegetables every day.

28% point increase in the number of 3^rd graders reporting eating fruits every day.

16% point increase in the number of 3^rd graders reporting physical activity every day.

10% point increase in the number of 3^rd graders reporting they will ask their families to have cut up vegetables available for them to eat.

66% point increase in the number of 2^nd graders who could correctly identify when they should wash their hands.

31% point increase in the number of 2^nd graders who could correctly identify physical vs. resting activities.

74% point increase in the number of 2^nd graders who could correctly identify grain foods.

23% point increase in the number of 2^nd graders who could correctly identify high protein foods.