Note: This site is for reviewing legacy plan of work data from 2007-2011. If you are looking for the current plan of work interface, visit pow.nmsu.edu.

KA 703. Nutrition Education and Behavior (Curry County)

Plan Goal

Improve health of Curry 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. New Mexico has one of the highest rates of poverty in the nation with 18.4% of New Mexicans living below poverty, with the poverty rate in Curry Co. being reported as 19.9% (US Bureau of the Census, 2000). Low income populations face numerous problems associated with inadequate nutrition. Individuals make poor food choices, which can lead to chronic disease problems such as obesity, diabetes, and heart disease. 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. Establishing healthy habits early in life can have life long benefits in optimal health and disease prevention. 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. In 2002, NM Department of Health reported 8.5% of Curry County residents have been diagnosed with diabetes. If left untreated and uncontrolled, diabetes can result in serious complications: blindness, amputations, kidney disease, stroke, heart disease and death. 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.

Target Audience and Actions

**Target Audience**
All Curry County residents, including individuals, families, youth and seniors.
Agencies that work with Curry County residents and their families.
Policy makers
Mass media

**Actions**
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 Schools series classes (Focus is on healthy food choices including balancing low and high carbohydrate foods and food preparation skills.)
Nutrition programming focusing on healthy food choices, food preparation skills, food safety and physical activity for Extension Clubs, other groups, organizations and individuals 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 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 use MyPyramid, Dietary Guidelines and Nutrition Facts Labels to make food choices and plan meals.
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 get medical tests important for diabetes management.
80% 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 get medical tests important for diabetes management.
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.