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Impact Report
| For plan | KA 703. Nutrition Education and Behavior (Doña Ana County) |
| Date | November 2, 2009, 3:52 am |
| For Objective | Short-term Show short-term objectives |
| Impact Report | In 2009 the agent was invited to join a planning committee for a Teen Game of Life Fair. This event was a fun hands-on learning experience for youth. This event took place in 2008 in Hidalgo County and Southern Area Health Education Center received a small grant to implement a similar program in Doña Ana County. The purpose of the fair is to promote healthy and safe lifestyle choices for teenagers through the use of interactive games. Each agency uses their own resources and programs to create a learning environment through scenarios and games of chance. For example, many teens are faced with choices around using alcohol. By rolling dice they may get the scenario that they drove to a party and consumed 8 beers in 2 hours. The cops came and they decided to try to drive home. The player is given a set of D.W. Eyes (simulates drinking) and they must navigate a maze. Failure to stay within the lines leads to a sobriety test, arrest, and time in jail. If there is an accident they go to the hospital and get treated for a trauma injury. They have to go before a judge and get sentenced as if it were real life. Scenarios were also created for the other health themes including nutrition, education, suicide, tobacco use, sexually transmitted diseases, teen pregnancy, meth use, drugs and alcohol and sexual assault. The committee consisted of representatives from Southern Area Health Education Center, NM Department of Health, Planned Parenthood, Families and Youth, Inc. Mesilla Valley Mental Health Hospital, City of Las Cruces, Doña Ana County DWI Prevention, Border Region Drug Free Coalition, NM State Police and NM Third Judicial District Court among others. The agent coordinated a station focused on healthy eating that focused on awareness of the hidden sugar and fat in common snack foods and drinks. The agent expanded on the energy drink station coordinated by a nutrition educator in Hidalgo County who had participated the previous year in Lordsburg. The agent also adopted Hidalgo County’s use of “fat suits” as one of the consequences teens had to face. An overall evaluation component was administered to the 90 participants of the event and when asked “As a result of participating in today, do you know more about how much sugar and fat is in snack foods?” 90% marked Definitely Yes. |