by Bryan Baker for the FCT

Alabama is one of the more obese states in the union and has been that way for a while.  Kristi Allen is implicating EFNEP in schools around the county to help fight obesity in young people.

The Expanded Food and Nutrition Educational Program has been around the country for over 50 years and the state of Alabama has been staying active with the organization for the past 30 years.

Allen said schools in Franklin County are working to help their students develop healthy eating habits at a young age.

“We want our kids to know that it can taste good to eat healthy,” Allen said.  “We break it down into different categories to give our kids a better understanding.”

The program focuses on informing the children of what is considered to be good for their bodies and what could slow them down and be unhealthy.  Allen also works to help the children stay involved with exercising.  The main focus is to keep the younger students healthy.

Allen currently works with Tharptown and Vina around the area.  She is scheduled to meet with the students once a week and gives a seminar on healthy lifestyles.  The program is six weeks long.

The program ultimately starts students young and teaches them that not everything that tastes good is bad for you, but the majority of sweet things should be avoided.  Also, Allen said that their program encourages students to stay away from greasy or fatty foods.  She gives her students three different categories to help them range what they consume.

Allen stated that she classified food into the “Whoa, Slow, and Go” categories.  Fried and sweets were placed under the “Whoa” category; crackers and juice boxes were placed under the “slow” category; and the Go category was comprised of healthy foods that students could consume all day.

EFNEP was something that started inside of a classroom to help better the lives of those who sat in it.  Now, the program directors are hoping that the implications of a healthy lifestyle rub off in the home setting to help better everyone’s health.

“There isn’t an age too young to start teaching kids to eat the right way,” Allen said.  “Living healthy can help these kids live better.”

EFNEP is currently being funded and practiced across the state to help students get on the right track.  The program also offers seminars for adults and soon-to-be parents.  For more information, check out the Alabama State Education website and click the link for the EFNEP program.

For more information about the EFNEP program in Franklin County, Kristie Allen can be reached at the Franklin County Extension Office at (256) 332-8880.