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KA 703. Nutrition Education and Behavior (Bernalillo County)

Plan Goal

Improve health of Bernalillo County residents through healthy food choices, food preparation skills and food resource management.

Situation Statement

Over 30% of New Mexico's citizens reside in Bernalillo County, making it the most populous county (573,675), and the most densely popoulated county in the state. Demographics by ethnicity are 35% white; 53% Hispanic; 3% black; 5% Native American; 2% Asian/Pacific Islander. Bernalillo County includes three sovereign Indian nations: Isleta Pueblo; Sandia Pueblo; Tojajilee (a part of the Navajo Nation).

Over 65,000 of the population is over age 65 and more than a third of this group has some form of disability.There are more than 4,500 grandparent-headed households who have sole responsibility for raising grandchildren, and 14% of the county's population lives in poverty. Approximately 2,000 resident of the county are incarcerated.

About 35% of the medical doctors in New Mexico practice in Bernalillo County; more than half of New Mexico dentists practice here. Nearly a fourth of county residents are uninsured and have little or no access to the healthcare system, while another 31% are on Medicare or Medicaid.

Approximately a fifth of the county population is school-aged. Nearly 30% of the children aged five and younger speak a language other than English. In some regions, such as the South Valley, the rate is over 50%.

Five of the leading cuases of death in Bernaillo County include heart disease, cancer, stroke, diabetes and hypertension that have links to diet. Limited income residents face numerous problems associated with inadequate nutrition. Their lack of knowledge of the relationships between health and basic nutrition, food safety, food preparation and food resource management can be addressed with education.

Key tools for use in nutrition education by the Extension Home Economist inlcude USDA's MyPyramid, Dietary Guidelines for Americans (2005)and the Nutrition Facts Label.

Diabetes

Diabetes is a particular concern in Bernalillo County. Over 43,500 (9.6%) of the county population) have diabetes. If left untreated and uncontrolled, diabetes can result in serious complications such as blindness, amputation, kidney disease, stroke, heart disease and death. Although there is no cure for diabetes, it can be controlled and complicaitons can be prevented or delayed. Lifestyle changes such as healthier food choices and regular physical activity can have a significant effect on the health and well being of diabetics.

Target Audience and Actions

Bernalillo County residents including individuals, families, youth, seniors.
Bernalillo County limited resource audiences.
Native Americans, Spanish speaking and Anglo residents of Bernalillo County.
Agencies that work with Bernalillo County residents and families.
Policy makers.
Mass media.

Activities:

Cooperate with Karen Halderson, NMSU Diabetes Coordinator, in presenting diabetes classes as requested.

Provide 4 hours weekly to the ICAN program. I do this monthly nutrition trainings to the ICAN/EFNEP Educators and by acting as a resource for the Educators.

I will be available for nutrition/food presentations as requested for state agencies, non profits and community
groups.

I will continue publishing news columns in the Albuquerque Journal and the New Mexico MarketPlace magazine.

I will judge nutrition/food events as requested.

Short-Term Objectives

80% of participants will increase knowledge of MyPyramid, Dietary Guidelines and Nutrition Facts Labels.
80% of participants will increase knowledge of healthy food choices.
80% of participants will increase knowledge of food preparation and meal planning.
80% of participants will increase knowledge of Diabetes Food Guide Pyramind and 50/50 plate method to help control diabetes.
80% of participants will kncrease knowlede of importance of physical activity.

60% of participants will use MyPyramid, Dietary Guidelines and Nutrition Facts Labels to make food choices and plan meals.
60% of participants will plan to control portion sizes.
60% of participants will plan to increase fruit and vegetable consumption.
60% of participants wil plan to adopt new food preparation and meal planning techniques.
60% of participants wil plan to adopt new food resource management techniques.
60% of participants wil plan to use the Diabetes Food Guide Pyramid and 50/50 plate method.
60% of participants wil plan to increase physical activity.

Medium-Term Objectives

40% of participants will increase fruit and vegetable consumption one month after program participation.
40% of participants will control portion sizes one month after program participation.
40% of participants will adopt new food preparation and meal planning techniques one month after program participation.
40% of participants wil use the Diabetes Food Guide Pyramid and 50/50 plate method.
40% of participants will increase physical activity.

Long-Term Objectives

30% of participants wil sustain adopted practices 3 years after program completion.
30% of participants will decrease their rates of chronic disease such as obesity, cancer, and heart disease.

Evaluation Plan

Participant knowledge and behavior surveys, diet records and activity logs for short- and medium-term objecties.