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KA 703. Nutrition Education and Behavior (Otero County)

Plan Goal

Improve nutrition and health of Otero County individuals and families 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.

In New Mexico, it is estimated that $324 million are spent annually on adult obesity attributable medical expenditures (New Mexico Department of Health). An estimated 16.3% of Otero County residents live in poverty (U.S. Census Bureau). 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. Nutrition education through Otero County Extension can help limited resource individuals and families stretch their food dollars to obtain healthy, low cost meals for their families.

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). According to the NM Kids Count Data Book (2005) 11.8% of children in Otero County are considered overweight. 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.

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. In Otero County, 4,353 adults have diabetes (New Mexico Department of Health). 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

Otero County consumers, including individuals, families, youth, seniors.
Otero County consumers particularly limited resource audiences.
Native Americans, Spanish-speaking and Anglo residents of Otero County.
Agencies that work with Otero County consumers and families.
Policy makers.
Mass Media.

ICAN adult series classes (Targets low income adults, focus is on healthy food choices, food preparation skills, food resource management, food safety and physical activity.)
ICAN youth series classes (Targets low income youth, focus is on healthy food choices, food preparation skills, food safety and physical activity.)
Kitchen Creations Diabetes Cooking School series classes (Focus is on healthy food choices including balancing low and high carbohydrate foods and food preparation skills)
Key tools for use in nutrition education by Extension include USDA’s MyPyramid, Dietary Guidelines for Americans (2005), and the Nutrition Facts Label.

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 food resource management.
80% of participants will increase knowledge of importance of physical activity.
60% of participants will plan to use MyPyramid, Dietary Guidelines and Nutrition Facts Labels to make food choices and plan meals.
80% of participants will increase knowledge of Diabetes Food Guide Pyramid and 50/50 method.
60% of participants will plan to increase fruit and vegetable consumption.
60% of participants will plan to control portion sizes.
60% of participants will plan to adopt new food preparation and meal planning techniques.
60% of participants will plan to adopt new food resource management techniques.
60% of participants will plan to use the Diabetes Food Guide Pyramid and 50/50 method.
60% of participants will plan to increase physical activity.

Medium-Term Objectives

40% of participants will use MyPyramid, Dietary Guidelines and Nutrition Facts Labels to make food choices and plan meals one month after program participation.
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 will adopt new food resource management techniques one month after program participation.
40% of participants will use the Diabetes Food Guide Pyramid and 50/50 method.
40% of participants 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.

Observation of adults and youth participating in Otero County Extension classes and programs.