Arkansas 4-H program improves youth eating habits
Fast food is popular because it is quick, easy and tastes good, but it’s primarily unhealthy. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, from 2001-17, there was a significant increase in youths aged 10-14 and 15-19 living with Type 2 diabetes. The increase was evident in both sexes and for each racial and ethnic group studied. The greatest increases in Type 2 diabetes were seen in Black and Hispanic youths, and the highest number of youths per 1,000 living with Type 2 diabetes was seen in Black or American Indian youths.
To help prevent youths from developing illnesses, the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff’s 4-H program provided Verizon Innovative Learners participants with experiential learning opportunities that followed CDC guidelines, safety protocols and safe food handling guidelines during the summer of 2022. During the two, three-week sessions, middle school students and teens learned how to handle food safely, how to measure liquid and dry ingredients and how to make a variety of healthy snacks fast without cooking.
As a result, 160 youths (80 in each three-week session) learned in a safe, supportive environment with positive teen and adult partners. At the end of each session, youths were provided with 4-H food preparation kits, an apron and a recipe booklet from the Learn, Grow, Eat and Go curriculum so they could make the recipes from the program at home with their families.
Link to full statement on website: http://landgrantimpacts.tamu.edu/impacts/show/6037