Childhood Health

Food and Nutrition Education for Children

UGA Cooperative Extension's Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program in Clarke, Walton and Gwinnett counties focuses on the diet, health and well-being of children who come from low income families. Classes are taught through regularly scheduled visits to school classrooms, after-school and summer programs, public housing centers, summer lunch programs and local recreation sites. In 2005, 1,626 youth participated in EFNEP-sponsored nutrition classes or organized FAN (Food and Nutrition) Clubs. The children learned how to improve their diet and how to prepare their own food, if necessary. They also learned skills that complement school objectives by learning how to read recipes, measure ingredients, and recognize the importance of certain nutrients for the human body. Among youth participants, 70 percent reported that they eat a better variety of foods as a result of participating in EFNEP. (2006)

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