Nutrition for Everyday Living (A Workshop for African-American Women)

Problem:
Overweight individuals need to keep in mind that nutrition and exercise go together to help maintain a healthy weight and control chronic diseases like diabetes, heart disease, certain cancers and strokes.

Response:
The workshops on Nutrition for Everyday Living began on March 23, 2005. One of the African American community agencies targeted for the program was Creative Visions. Creative Visions is a non profit organization that benefits the minority population in DesMoines. The topics included:

1. The Food Guide Pyramid with emphasis on the new changes to bread, cereal, rice, and pasta group, vegetable and fruit group.
2. Knowing serving sizes
3. What's for Breakfast?
4. Let's Have Lunch
5. Dinner Large or Small?
6. Healthy Ways to Snack
7. How many food groups were on your plate?

Impact:
One participant wanted to improve her and her child's eating habits. This parent did not eat breakfast in the mornings. After understanding how many hours her body went without food, she started eating breakfast and said that she felt much more energized. This same female lost 20 pounds by attending the workshops faithfully.

Contact:
Myra Royal, Field Specialist/Families
Polk County Extension
5201 NE 14 th Street Suite A, Des Moines, IA 50312
Phone 515-261-4212; Fax 515-263-2704
Email mroyal@iastate.edu