MSU Extension Nutrition

The Big Picture

Overall MSU Extension reached 157, 191 unduplicated individuals through nutrition and physical activity promotion, education, and PSE (policy, system, and environmental changes).

MSU Extension Action

MSU Extension partners with Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) to provide Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Education (SNAP-Ed), a nutrition education program to reduce hunger and food insecurity and promote healthy eating habits.

What We Do

MSU Extension partners with the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services to provide SNAP-Ed, a nutrition education program designed to reduce hunger and food insecurity and promote healthy eating habits for SNAP-Ed eligible populations. MSU Extension SNAP-Ed community nutrition instructors teach youth, individuals, and families how to make health a priority. The goal of SNAP-Ed is to improve the likelihood that SNAP-Ed eligible persons will make healthy food choices within a limited budget and choose physically active lifestyles consistent with the current Dietary Guidelines for Americans and the USDA food guidance.

The Impact

PSE (Policy, System, and Environmental Changes)

Oct. 1, 2021 - Sept. 30, 2022

• 185 Community sites reached
• 36,801 Children and adults reached
• PSE Site Changes
  • 268 Nutrition
  • 95 Physical Activity
  • 4 Both nutrition and physical activity

Direct Education

• 9,140 Direct Education classes offered
  • 7,655 Face to Face
  • 397 Hybrid
  • 1,050 Virtual
  • 34 Self-Paced
  • 4 Phone

Adult Dietary Improvements

• 22% consumed less soda per day
• 43% ate more fruits per day
• 39% ate more vegetables per day

Adult Physical Activity Improvements

• 43% increased moderate physical activity participation
• 38% increased strength training activities

Youth (3rd-12th) Health & Nutrition Impact

• 34% increased vegetable consumption
• 33% decreased soda consumption
• 34% increased physical activity
• 28% washed their hands more often
• 30% decreased screen time

Youth (K-2nd) Health & Nutrition Impact

• 86% Washed their hands more before handling food.
• 57% Bring more fruits and veggies as snacks.
• 97% Can identify healthy food choices.
• 82% Increased physical activity.
• 88% Are now eating more fruits and vegetables.

Indirect Education

Indirect education activities are complementary approaches to direct education and PSE coaching and include informative channels like: articles, fact sheets, radio podcasts, social media postings, web presence, and educational videos.

The MI Health Matters social media campaign has produced an additional 21 short-form educational videos that help give viewers the tools they need to increase their physical activity and intake of fruits and vegetables by providing interesting information, cooking tips, recipes, and tricks. The MSU Extension Facebook MI Health Matters video library consists of 296 videos.

MSU Extension created infographics provide audiences with quick bits of information that can be found in lengthier MSU Extension news articles. The infographics also include links that allow viewers access to the full article. These infographics are posted on Facebook and Instagram.

• 200,438 adults and youth reached
• 532,256 total duplicative reach for social media posts
• 4,043 Instagram touches
• 496 Video Hours wacthed on YouTube
• 10,480 Pinterest pins entered users screens
• 223,419 MI Health Matters Facebook posts entered users screens
• 296 MI Health Matters educational videos now available

Success Stories

PSE Success Stories

In FY22, the Tuscola Food Access Collaborative worked with the public transportation authority and a local farmers market to find a solution for transportation barriers that limited access to healthy food options. The group’s work resulted in mini mobile pantries (Thumb Blessing Boxes) filled with food items, personal hygiene products, paper products, and cleaning supplies being placed on public transportation and stocked from local farmers market support. - Tuscola County

The Pantry2Preschool (P2P) project provided food boxes for families at the preschool sites their children attended. MSU Extension provided guidance for the food items purchased and provided in the food boxes; along with corresponding healthy recipes for the families to use at home. The community champion and volunteers at the food pantry are supporters of making healthy food choices and being physically active. They reported choosing more fruit and vegetables and encouraging pantry participants to do the same. The layout of the pantry was also adjusted to support more efficient shopping and packing of the P2P food boxes. - Grand Traverse County

SNAP- Ed Success Stories

A series participant wrote, “After changing my diet appropriately, using many of the things you {nutrition instructor} shared with us, I was able to nearly reach my normal weight. The key major changes that I made were preparing most of my meals, cutting out sodas, and exercising regularly. My pre-diabetes has been well regulated now and I can’t believe how much better I feel.” - Chippewa County

During an Eat Healthy, Be Active series, participants were able to earn vouchers to purchase fruits and vegetables as part of the Prescription for Health program supported in part by District Health Department #10 and Munson Health. Participants shared that it’s important to eat a variety of fruits and vegetables, that eating less salt is important for our health, but you can keep the taste by using herbs and spices, and trying new things is fun! As one participant shared, “Eating healthier has given me more energy! I’ve lost 5 pounds over the course of this class, just by making small changes suggested during the class!” -  Benzie County

A past participant saw her nutrition instructor and shared that she had lost over 20 pounds since she took the nutrition class. She shared that by making small changes in both her physical activity and diet she was able to lose the weight AND keep it off. She was so thankful for the classes (Eat Healthy Be Active) that gave her the tools to be successful. - Isabella County

A class participant shared, “I lost 25 pounds since eating better. I can’t wait to share these recipes at home and start doing the things I love by eating good and getting healthier!” The participant was excited to share that some of the topics that were discussed in class had really helped her to control her weight. She was very eager to show and educate her family on new healthy ways and share nutritious food with her family. - Ottawa County

During a Re-think Your Drink session, a group of students at the Calhoun Area Career Center discussed added sugar and caffeine and energy drinks. They shared that one of their classmates had been rushed to the hospital from a heart condition activated by drinking energy drinks at school. A student had one of the drinks with them, so they practiced reading the nutrition facts label together. They also discovered that some were spending almost $800 a year on energy drinks. A few weeks later, it was learned that one of the school administrators had sat in on the presentation and was shocked to hear about how much sugar and caffeine were in the drinks and all the warning labels. The next day after the class, the administration called up the vendor and canceled all future orders for the energy drinks. - Calhoun County

A class participant shared, “I’ve already lost 6 pounds in the two weeks I’ve been coming to this program. The things I’ve learned about healthy eating are to be mindful when eating, not only think about the foods you are eating, but also portion sizes. Avoid mindless (or fog) eating. Be more active if you have a sedentary lifestyle. A walk around the neighborhood works if that is all you have time for. Drink lots of water!”-Oakland County

A class participant shared that after suffering with a phobia of cooking meat incorrectly his entire adulthood, he was finally able to eat a piece of chicken breast that he cooked himself. The participant would have panic attacks that prevented him to eat the meat he prepared for fear that it would be uncooked. This made him eat out frequently and spend more money. After attending the series and receiving a lot of assurance on how to use a meat thermometer and check the temperatures, he finally felt confident to cook meat at home. - Wayne County