Fighting obesity and improving nutrition in Michigan communities

October 01, 2018

Michigan State University Extension provides programs that focus on helping people gain the knowledge the need to buy and prepare nutritious, budget-friendly foods.

A child and her mother choosing healthy snack options at the grocery store.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, almost 31 percent of Michigan adults are considered obese and almost 35 percent are considered overweight.

Through funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program–Education and Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program, Michigan State University Extension delivers affordable, relevant, evidence-based education to help adults, young people and families in urban and rural communities be healthy across their lifespan.

Programs focus on helping participants gain the skills they need to buy and prepare nutritious, budget-friendly foods and increase physical activity. In the 2017 fiscal year, these programs reached more than 128,000 people across the state in more than 1,600 locations.

79% of youth participants improved their abilities or gained knowledge about how to choose foods following the federal Dietary Guidelines for Americans.
78% of adult participants made a positive change in at least one nutrition practice, such as preparing foods without adding salt, or using Nutrition Facts labels to make food choices.
72% of adult participants made a positive change in at least one food resource management practice, such as planning meals in advance or comparing prices when shopping.