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KA 703. Nutrition Education and Behavior (Lea County)

Plan Goal

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

Situation Statement

Good nutrition is essential to improve and maintain health. Five of the leading causes of death including heart disease, cancer, stroke, diabetes and hypertension have links to diet. Obesity and overweight now affects 57% of New Mexico adults. These individuals are at increased risk of illness from hypertension, lipid disorders, type 2 diabetes, coronary heart disease, stroke, gallbladder disease, osteoarthritis, sleep apnea and respiratory problems, and certain cancers. The total costs attributable to obesity-related disease nationally approaches $13 billion annually (NIH).

In New Mexico, it is estimated that $324 million are spent annually on adult obesity attributable medical expenditures (New Mexico Department of Health). New Mexico has one of the highest rates of poverty in the nation with 18.4% of New Mexicans living below poverty (US Bureau of the Census, 2000). Low income populations face numerous problems associated with inadequate nutrition. In some cases, children do not eat enough to sustain health and to grow and develop at optimal levels. Even more commonly, individuals make poor food choices, which can lead to chronic disease problems such as obesity, diabetes, and heart disease. Although benefits such as Food Stamps and WIC provide vital resources to some of those in need of food assistance, this resource is often not maximized. This is often due to recipients’ lack of knowledge of the relationships between health and four areas: basic nutrition, food safety, food preparation, and food resource management.

In addition, many limited-resource individuals do not receive the encouragement and reinforcement needed to put such knowledge into practice. Education can help low income families and individuals maximize their resources to improve their nutritional status. Youth as well as adults should be targeted so nutrition related disease and obesity can be prevented. Nationally, overweight in children has tripled in the last 20 years. In New Mexico, 24% of high school students are overweight or at risk for overweight and 22% of low-income children between 2-5 years of age who participate in federally-funded nutrition programs are overweight or at risk for overweight (New Mexico Department of Health). Approximately 25% of New Mexico children below the age of 18 live in poverty. This number has grown over the last 10 years. Reaching New Mexico youth early in life with effective nutrition education will promote the adoption of healthy eating and food management practices. Establishing healthy habits early in life can have life long benefits in optimal health and disease prevention.

Further, children are an ideal target for nutrition education in terms of habits being more amenable to change than later in life. Key tools for use in nutrition education by Extension include USDA’s MyPyramid, Dietary Guidelines for Americans (2005), and the Nutrition Facts Label. Diabetes: Of the leading chronic diseases, diabetes is a particular concern in New Mexico. About 130,000 of New Mexicans have diabetes, although half are undiagnosed and do not know they have the disease. Native Americans are three times more likely to be diagnosed with diabetes and Hispanics are two times more likely to be diagnosed with diabetes. If left untreated and uncontrolled, diabetes can result in serious complications: blindness, amputations, kidney disease, stroke, heart disease and death.

In 2002, the direct and indirect costs of diabetes in New Mexico was approximately $1 billion, according to the New Mexico Department of Health. There is no cure for diabetes, but it can be controlled and complications can be prevented or at least delayed. Simple changes, such as healthier food choices and adding regular physical activity can have a significant effect on the health and well-being of people with diabetes. Extension has long taught these principles to the general population. Because of the current collaboration between Extension, New Mexico Department of Health’s Diabetes Control Program and the Joslin Diabetes Center, Extension can effectively reach those New Mexicans with or at risk for diabetes.

Target Audience and Actions

Lea County residents of all ages and ethnicities will recieve nutrition education on general nutrition and diabetes through media campaigns, personal visits and phone calls, one time programs, and grant funded workshops.

Low income families and school age youth in the county will receive general nutrition education through the assistance of ICAN programming efforts.

Short-Term Objectives

80% will increase their knowledge through program on My Pyramid, Dietary Guidelines, Food Safety and Nutrition Facts food labels.

80% will increase their knowledge of healthy food choices,

80% will increase their knowledge of food preparation and meal planning,

80% will increase their knowledge of food resource management.

80% of participants will increase knowledge of Diabetes Food Guide Pyramid and 50/50 method,

80% of participants will increase knowledge of medical tests important for diabetes management,

80% of participants will increase knowledge of importance of physical activity,

60% of participants will plan to adopt new food preparation and meal planning techniques.

Medium-Term Objectives

Of those individuals attending ICAN and other foods & nutrition program:
40% will use MyPyramid, Dietary Guidelines and Nutrition Facts Labels to make food choices and plan meals one month after program participation.

40% will increase fruit and vegetable consumption one month after program participation.

40% will control portion sizes one month after program participation.

40% will adopt new food preparation and meal planning techniques one month after program participation.

40% will adopt new food resource management techniques one month after program participation.

For those individuals attending workshops or receiving information on diabetes:
40% will use the Diabetes Food Guide Pyramid and 50/50 method.

40% will get medical tests important for diabetes management.

40% will increase physical activity.

Long-Term Objectives

30% of participants will sustain adopted practices 3 years after program completion.

30% of participants will decrease their rates of chronic disease (obesity, cancer, heart disease).

Evaluation Plan

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