Clemson’s 4-H program tackling childhood obesity

KERSHAW COUNTY, SC — Some food for thought:

• In the past 30 years, obesity has more than doubled in children and quadrupled in adolescents.
• More than a third of our nation’s youth are overweight.
• Studies show that unhealthy eating habits learned as a child may extend into adulthood.

But all is not lost. Clemson Extension has long been tackling this alarming phenomenon via its 4-H program, which has more than 84,000 participants in South Carolina. In addition to nutrition, 4-H teaches animal science, agriculture, science, engineering, natural resources, leadership and more.

During a recent six-week program titled “Choose Health: Food, Fun and Fitness — Youth Voice, Youth Choice,” 195 third- through fifth-grade students at Midway Elementary in Kershaw County learned the importance of combining healthy eating with physical activity. Walmart and SC 4-H sponsored the interactive program.

“Encouraging children to eat healthful foods and participate in at least 30 minutes of physical activity a day is essential to their health,” said Deon Legette, Clemson Extension lead agent for food safety and nutrition in Kershaw, Fairfield and Richland counties. “There is an epidemic of obesity in our society, specifically in children. Statistics show that the average child does not eat the recommended amounts of healthful foods each day, nor do they get an adequate amount of exercise.”

Helping children make healthy choices is not an easy task. Nutrition experts are finding that lack of knowledge, rather than lack of discipline, is the worst culprit. And this often extends throughout entire families, regardless of age. Legette spent most of her program at Midway teaching students how to make informed decisions on food choices, which included reading labels and delving deeper into what’s on the menu at restaurants.

“Students received weekly newsletters with a summary of the lesson and recipes, along with a healthy snack,” said Legette. “As a result of this program, six 4-H healthy lifestyles clubs were organized, healthier lunches and drinks were served at Extension advisory committee meetings and youth ambassadors assisted in teaching healthy lifestyle principles to approximately 280 youths throughout our three-county area.”

As a result of the program, 98 percent of the students said they would make healthier choices while eating at restaurants, their school cafeteria and at home. One hundred percent said they were willing to try at least one new fruit or vegetable and encourage their families to make better food choices. Ninety-five percent said they planned to participate in at least 30 minutes of physical activity each day.

“We are a rural school and our students don’t necessarily have enough knowledge – just from background and experience – about healthy eating, what kind of foods to look for and the types of ingredients that they should be stay away from,” said Dell Brabham, principal at Midway Elementary. “As a result of Deon’s program, we have seen a major increase in the number of students who order salads at lunch. I found that to be amazing.”

Doris McGougan assisted Legette at Midway and has been a 4-H volunteer for 36 years. Many pounds have been shed due to her diligence, but she said the kids have as much fun learning as they do losing.

“The children really seem to enjoy it,” said McGougan, whose 10-year-old granddaughter reads food labels for her during trips to the grocery store. “I know that they seem upset when the programs are finished.”

Youth ambassadors also play a key role in 4-H nutrition programs.

“In terms of obesity, our society has gone downhill,” said Sidney Goff, 18, a three-year volunteer who has earned college scholarships through her involvement in 4-H. “I’ve enjoyed helping kids learn more about healthy eating. Being overweight can lead to depression and other ailments. It is crucial to stop it early.”

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