Obesity is a concern in communities all across the Commonwealth. According to the Alliance for a Healthier Generation more than 1 in 3 children in Kentucky is overweight or obese.  Studies show that overweight kids are likely to become overweight or obese adults.   There are a lot of reasons for obesity: bad eating habits, poor nutrition and low or no physical activity.   This trifecta puts our community’s children at risk for serious health issues that start when they are young. Parents have increasingly relied on schools to teach concepts and skills once taught within the family.  

For children and adolescents, the Center for Disease Control recommends that schools can make a difference by building a strong foundation and taking action. The Cooperative Extension Service in Boone County, in cooperation with the Boone County school system, partnered with several schools to offer nutrition education to preschool and kindergarten students.  Sixty-six students participated in the program this school year.

Over a course of six hours of nutrition instruction, students were presented with information on My Plate, food safety, hand washing and physical activity.  The goal of the program was to introduce students to new foods, be able to recognize which foods belonged in the correct food groups, increase physical activity, and become aware of the importance of hand washing as a way to decrease the spread of germs.

At the conclusion of the program an oral evaluation was conducted with the students. Sixty-five percent stated they washed their hands after using the restroom, 33% participated in a form of physical activity every day and 30% ate fruit at least five days a week, and 75% tried a new food during the classroom visits. Classroom teachers were also surveyed. One teacher stated everything was developmentally appropriate and the students retained the information.  Another commented “Even the teachers learned more healthy ideas”.