About Us
County Impact Statements - Craighead County
Nutrition Education is Making a Difference in Craighead County
Craighead County has had the Expanded Foods and Nutrition Education Program
for eighteen years. The program has made a tremendous impact on many homemakers
and their families. The program helps families gain the knowledge and skills to
improve their diets.
At a youth group meeting, a lesson on healthy snacks was taught and one of
the children commented that she does not eat breakfast, but instead enjoys
eating Little Debbie snack cakes and drinking Kool Aid.
The program assistant provided examples of health snacks & food choices, she
encouraged them to eat plenty of fruits and vegetables, and emphasized the
importance of eating breakfast. The program assistant realized that the young
girl had very little nutrition knowledge. As examples of snacks and their
respective food groups were discussed, the young girl stated, that "she didn't
know that peanut butter and eggs were meats".
The program assistant has observed over the past six months the young girl
tries various foods that have been prepared as demonstrations. The young girl
says she shops frequently with her mother and encourages her to purchase fruits
and vegetables. She has expressed that she still eats Little Debbie snack cakes;
however, she has cut back on the amount she eats. Instead she consumes more
fruits and vegetables, and she usually starts the day off with breakfast.
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Youth group members play the snack attack game and exercise to burn
calories from snack foods.
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Impacts
- Craighead County has a poverty level of 17%.
- 8,826 residents receive food stamps.
Youth Impacts
- 105 Youth Enrolled
- 51% youth eat a variety of foods
- 50% increased knowledge about human nutrition
- 51% increased their ability to select low-cost, nutritious foods
- 44% improved practices in food preparation and safety
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