Eat Smart, Move More, Take Control Recruitment Article
North Carolinians Take Control of Their Health
North Carolinians are taking control of their health with help from theEat Smart, Move More, Take Controlnutrition education program provided by North Carolina State University Cooperative Extension. Developed in response to the obesity epidemic and the chronic diseases associated with excess weight, the program informs, empowers, and motivates adults to change their eating and physical activity habits to manage, and even prevent, chronic disease.
It’s not news that North Carolina has a weight problem. Nearly two-thirds of adults in the state are overweight. Excess weight is a risk factor for several serious conditions including coronary heart disease, stroke, type II diabetes, and certain forms of cancer. In an effort to avoid these conditions, some citizens are looking towards nutrition intervention programs to take control of their health.
Charlie, 58, used to be very active as a youth in North Carolina playing basketball in high school. He still loves to talk about sports and his favorite team. Yet, his weight gain over the years and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) were leaving him on the sidelines. So, his physician recommended that he enroll in the Eat Smart, Move More,Take Control program to help him make healthy lifestyle changes. He had never taken a nutrition class before but knew he needed it commenting, “my blood pressure was sky high.”
Numerous adults around the state like Charlieare beginning to look to nutrition and physical activity intervention programs to address their weight issues and prevent or delay chronic disease. Eat Smart, Move More, Take Control, a Steps to Health program created for limited resource audiences, is a free six-class series,taught by North Carolina Cooperative Extension Family Consumer Science(FCS) Agents.During the classes, participants learn how to control their sodium, fat, and added sugar intake, how to read nutrition labels, and ways to incorporate physical activityinto their daily lives. Each class also includes a cooking demonstration and taste test of an easy, healthy, budget-friendly recipe.
As for Charlie, he lost five pounds, improved his physical activity, andhis blood pressure during the course of the program. Now he reads food labels and is more aware about the nutritional content of foods: “I never knew about the fat in meats. I just picked up a package of meat or hamburger. Now I look for lean meats.” At the last session, he was very excited about his progress and upcoming high school reunion. With a goal of ten more pounds to lose, he stated emphatically, “I’m motivated and ready to go.”
Interested in learning how to take control of your health? [COUNTY] County Cooperative Extension will be offering the program beginning [DATE] and [TIME] at [LOCATION]. Contact [AGENT] at [COOPERATIVE EXTENSION PHONE NUMBER.] to register.
Steps to Health is a Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Education (SNAP-Ed) program developed and administered by North Carolina State University and federally funded through the USDA.
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ADDITIONAL PERSONAL STORIES TO USE AS NEEDED (OPTIONAL)
Annette, 47, has four children, two stepchildren, and eight grandchildren. Between taking care of her family, working as a part-time bus driver and going to school for a medical office administration degree, she does not have very much spare time. She enrolled in Eat Smart, Move More, Take Control because she felt that it was important. “I have really learned a lot,” she said during her final class, “I have been very encouraged to track my meals and exercise. My main goal is to learn how to be healthier and feed my family healthier.”
Savanah, 59, has been working closely with the Family Medical Center Registered Dietitian and FCS Agent over the past few months to make healthy lifestyle changes. She has lost over twenty pounds and improved her blood glucose control. She enrolled in the program to help further her progress and thinks that, “this class should be a lifetime goal.”