4-H Delivers

Healthy Living Camp: Tehama County Delivers

THE ISSUE
Recent research indicates that 25.5 percent of Tehama County’s population suffers from obesity. The objective of the 2011 Tehama County 4-H Camp was to educate campers about healthy lifestyles and how to make positive nutrition choices.

WHAT HAS 4-H DONE?
Funding from the 2011 4-H Healthy Living Grant Program supported new opportunities to integrate health themes into the regular camp program. The teen staff encouraged campers to indulge on broccoli, celery, jicama, green beans, and spinach during organized tasting sessions.  Additionally, camp counselors and staff introduced new ideas and demonstrated various ways to eat healthy. With the right activities in an ideal environment, campers had fun while increasing their health knowledge and improving their health behaviors.


THE PAYOFF

4-H members, serving as teen leaders, prepared three different stations: bingo, MyPlate, and smoothie making. At each station, campers received information and answered questions about healthy lifestyles. Teen staff provided campers with information on different food groups, correct serving sizes, and foods that benefit overall health. For the MyPlate food station, each camper put together a plate of food that reflected the USDA nutrition guidelines of recommended food proportions and foods they would realistically eat. Campers then determined the amount of food they would need each day from each food group.

At the smoothie station, 4-H members prepared healthy, blended snacks for campers to taste. Campers were given a choice between three different fruit smoothie recipes to take home and create on their own after camp. 4-H members also put together a taste test highlighting six types of food, from each part of the plant (leaves, stem, flower, root, seed, and fruit). After tasting, campers completed a survey ranking each taste. Many campers enjoyed eating broccoli and spinach, while jicama was the least popular. These surveys provided camp organizers important feedback about which vegetables campers prefer. The results will be used to create healthful meals at future camps and county events.