The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey program of studies is designed to assess the health and nutritional status of adults and children in the United States. It is part of the Centers for Disease Control (CDC.)  The report for Kentucky released in 2019 shows that 68.5% adults in the state are either obese or overweight. In addition, Kentuckians do not exercise much. The report says Kentucky ranks No. 1 in the share of adults who say they are physically inactive: 32.3%.  Kentucky adults just keep getting larger, reaching an all-time high for the number of obese adults in the state, ranking it fifth in the nation.  Dr. Barbara Fleming-Phillips, an internist who helps run the weight management clinic at UK Healthcare’s Barnstable Brown Diabetes Center says " Nutritional education is needed in childhood, but adults also need nutrition education that teaches them to choose “real foods” over convenient, processed foods.”

North Middletown is a small town within Bourbon County and has very little resources. To promote healthy habits in the community, a partnership was formed between the City of North Middletown, The Bourbon County Senior Center, and the Bourbon County Extension Office. During the past year, nine individuals have been educated on My Plate, Meal Planning, Food Safety, Eating a Better Breakfast, Eating Better on a Budget, and much more. Once per month, a lesson was given along with a recipe demonstration for the participants. The response was wonderful, and the program will continue to serve others in the community.

All nine individuals who completed the program had at least one positive change in any food group. 100% of the graduates had an increased knowledge in at least one food safety behavior. 78% showed improvement in one or more physical activity behaviors. Participants remarked “Thank you so much for bringing this information and the delicious recipes to our town, many of us have limited transportation and programs in our community are needed.” 100% of the participants had an improvement in Resource Management, which means they are cooking more at home, comparing food prices, and planning meals. “The tools that have been provided to us make grocery shopping so much easier and affordable,” stated one participant.