- (Strategic Initiative) Healthy Families and Communities
- Author: Shannon Klisch
- Author: Katherine E Soule
A UCCE-led work group promoted the use of EBT/CalFresh and other farmers' market incentives for families to purchase more fruits and vegetables at farmers' markets, resulting in a 30% increase in EBT/CalFresh customers.
The Issue
Lack of access to fruits and vegetables has been cited as a contributing factor to the obesity epidemic, particularly in low-income communities. Farmers' markets have the potential for increasing equitable access to local fruits and vegetables....
- Author: Mary L Blackburn
- Author: Katherine Uhde
At risk seniors at three low-income housing sites in Alameda County strengthened their food safety skills, reducing their chances of foodborne illnesses.
The Issue
Seniors with diminished learning and retention capacity, physical impairments, on multiple medicines, and with weakened immune systems are less able to fight foodborne pathogens. Adults over 60 years are more likely to have complications, be hospitalized, and die because of foodborne infections. About 80% of the seniors in the US have at least one chronic condition and 50% at least two. In California, at least 55% of seniors over age 65...
- Author: Marisa Neelon
- Co-PI: Charles Go
- Project 4-H20 Coordinator: Eli Figueroa
Project 4-H20 teen leaders' water promotion campaign at their Contra Costa high school resulted in 52% of students surveyed reporting drinking more water because of the campaign and school district board members deciding to help fund the efforts to promote healthy hydration.
The Issue
Earlier work by Project 4-H20 teens found that average student water consumption at at John Swett High School in Contra Costa County was...
- Author: Marcel Horowitz
- Author: Dorina M Espinoza
- Author: Anne Iaccopucci
Participation in California 4-H physical, social and emotional health programming increased 550% since 2009, and 74% of California 4-H youth report having a health-related growth mindset.
The Issue
California youth face increasing challenges to their social, emotional and physical health. Threats to children's physical health include obesity (28.9%), inactivity (76%), inadequate sleep (85%), and sugar-sweetened beverage consumption (63%). Social and emotional health is threatened by persistent feelings of sadness (32%), school bullying (28%), and cyberbullying (14%).
- Author: Shannon Klisch
- Author: Katherine E Soule
After participating in 4-H SNAC programs, 95% of youth participants reported they learned how to be a better leader, supporting increased health outcomes in their communities.
The Issue
Youth in low-income communities of color face health inequities. While 14.6% of all California adolescents ages 12-17 are classified as obese, rates are much higher among Latino adolescents (20.2%) and highest among adolescents in very low-income households (20.4% vs. 12.7% among the highest income households). Further,
