Program situation and approach in louisiana, obesity and overweight have reached epidemic proportions

The Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture awarded Southern University Agricultural & Mechanical College $139,048 under the Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (CFDA 10.514) on October 1, 2025, for nutrition education and food resource management programming in Louisiana.

Southern University's Agricultural Research and Extension Center will deliver EFNEP services across Avoyelles, Evangeline, and Rapides parishes, targeting low-income families with young children and youth whose gross household incomes fall at or below 185 percent of the 2025 federal poverty level. The program employs an integrated family-centered approach emphasizing meal planning, food preparation, and nutrition decision-making. Delivery methods include group teaching sessions, in-home nutrition notes to parents, and interactive hands-on workshops conducted through after-school care programs, Head Start parent engagement, community centers, neighborhood groups, and faith-based entities.

The award prioritizes increasing food resource management outcomes for adults and families, with specific goals to improve the percentage of individuals who plan meals, compare prices, maintain adequate food supply, and use grocery lists by 2 percent annually. The program addresses food insecurity affecting 21 percent of Louisiana households with children and food insufficiency affecting 15 percent, in response to the state's obesity ranking of 49th nationally.

Performance period runs from October 1, 2025, through September 30, 2030, with place of performance at Scotlandville, Louisiana.

Our state is ranked 49TH in the country in obesity (united health foundation's america's health rankings, 2025). The methodology used to target the snap-eligible audience in these counties will include delivering programming to individuals and families who are eligible for other means-tested federal assistance programs, at qualifying locations, and in locations where at least 50% of all persons have gross incomes at or below 185% of the 2025 federal poverty level guidelines/thresholds. The 185% federal poverty level guidelines for a family of two are $37,814 or $57,720 for a family of four. Parishes for services provided will include avoyelles, evangeline, and rapides. Southern university's efnep program targets youth and their parents, employing an integrated approach to educate the family. We emphasize teachable moments that involve the entire family in meal planning and preparation. Efnep's primary target audiences are low-income families with young children and youth. The southern university AG center's efnep program will be delivered in after-school care programs, head start (parents), community centers, and neighborhood groups, including faith-based entities. Methods of program delivery will include teaching groups, in-home nutrition notes to parents, and interactive hands-on group sessions. Program priorities 1. Increasing food resource management outcomes for adults and families - in louisiana, 21 percent of households with children are food insecure, and 15 percent are food insufficient. Our goal is to increase our average percentage of improvements by 2% each year for the number of individuals who plan meals, compare prices, do not run out of food, and use grocery lists. Specific strategies we will continue to implement are partnering with local agencies such as food banks and emergency food shelters for additional referrals for adult clientele and continuing to provide training to staff on effective teaching methodologies for adults. 2. Improving diet quality in adults and families - louisiana is ranked as the 4TH highest in the country on obesity. We aim to increase the number of positive nutrition practices efnep participants adopt by at least 2% for each of the next five years. Specific strategies we will continue to implement are partnering with local agencies for additional referrals of adult clientele and continuing to provide training to staff on effective teaching methodologies for adults. 3. Increasing food safety outcomes for adults and families - IT is estimated that some 20 ,500 people get infected by salmonella in louisiana every year. Food contamination can occur at any point along the food production chain. With that said, we will focus our efforts on having our clientele improve in daily food safety practices. Our overall goal is to increase our average percentage of improvement by 2% for the next five years. 4. Improving diet quality in youth - we selected diet quality because, in louisiana, obesity and overweight have reached the point of being epidemic. Louisiana is ranked the 4TH highest in the country for obesity at 39.9%. We aim to increase the number of positive nutrition practices efnep youth participants adopt by at least 2% for each of the next five years.