The expanded food and nutrition education program (EFNEP) works with families and youth with low incomes

Individuals can qualify for the program if their income is 185% or less of the poverty guidelines. The adult EFNEP targets individuals who have children below age 19 or who are pregnant and responsible in planning and preparing the family's food. Jefferson county poverty rate is 22.2%, which is higher than the state of arkansas state average of 17.2 the EFNEP youth program participants range in age from 5 to 19. The EFNEP emphasis is providing food and nutrition education to contribute to the personal development of youth. Obesity, poor nutrition, and limited physical activity are major health concerns. The expanded food and nutrition education program (EFNEP) improves the health and well-being of families and youth with limited incomes. Additionally, EFNEP leads to public savings. Research shows that better health is associated with reduced health care costs, less absenteeism from work, and less dependence on emergency assistance. Arkansas faces a bigger challenge when IT comes to obesity in the state. Arkansas is listed as the sixth state that has a prevalence of obesity equal to or greater than 35%. According to the state of obesity report, the average BMI in arkansas is 37% compared to the national average of 30% (the state of obesity, 2023). Arkansas EFNEP is positioned to address obesity in the state. EFNEP is a community driven, comprehensive effort with clearly defined goals to impact behavioral changes in enrolled participants. Those goals include encouraging increased consumption of fruits and vegetables, reduced FAT dairy foods, whole-grains and increased physical activity. In arkansas, thirty-eight percent of families with a female head of household have incomes below the poverty level. According to the national center for children in poverty, 53% of the children in arkansas live in a low-income household compared to the national average of 41% (national center for children in poverty, 2020). According to the arkansas hunger relief alliance, arkansas is ranked 2ND in the nation for the most incidences of food insecurity and that 17.2% of households in arkansas are food insecure (arkansas hunger relief alliance, 2020). According to a recent release by the arkansas hunger alliance, 1 in 4 arkansas kids are food insecure and will not know where their next meal will come from (arkansas hunger relief alliance, 2020). When food and nutrients needed to sustain physical and mental well-being are chronically inadequate, hunger leads to high medical, educational, psychological, economic, and social costs. For the next five years, the university of arkansas at pine bluff (UAPB) 1890 cooperative extension program, in efforts to improve the quality of health of arkansans, UAPB will provide job opportunities for arkansas citizens as well. We will employee two to three program educators to deliver quality nutrition education tin summer or year-round enrichment programs to the jefferson county adult and youth community. Our EFNEP program outreach coordinator is located here on the campus and will provide supervision of the program educators. (united state census bureau, selected economic characteristics 2021-2018) survey 5-year estimates, accessed october 2024).