UnitedHealthcare and 4-H bring Food Smart Families program to children and families in Louisiana

Kim Knighten, UnitedHealthcare-LA Outreach Specialist, speaks with WDSU TV6 (NBC - New Orleans) Weekend News anchor Aubry Killion about UnitedHealthcare's grant to Louisiana 4-H to extend their successful Food Smart Families partnership. (7/15/17)

UnitedHealthcare and National 4-H Council has extended its successful Food Smart Families partnership to address food insecurity and obesity through healthy living programing in targeted states across the US.

Louisiana is one of the states selected to participate in Food Smart Families and will be receiving a $60,000 grant from UnitedHealthcare to implement the program. This is the 5th year UnitedHealthcare has supported 4-H in the state.

Nearly 16 million children nationwide live in households that are considered food insecure, meaning they do not have consistent access to food throughout the year. And, according to America’s Health Rankings®, Louisiana ranks 50 in obesity with nearly 37 percent of adults estimated to be obese. Childhood wellness, particularly childhood obesity, continues to be a serious issue in Louisiana, with the state ranked 45th in the nation for children’s health, according to the 2016 America’s Health Rankings Health of Women and Children Report.

Food budgeting and nutrition education programs, and specifically, Food Smart Families has shown to make an impact in communities by engaging teens to promote healthy choices among peers and family members. Over the past several years, the program has reached more than 40,000 children and families, distributed more than 14,000 bags of food to participants and provided 22,000 referrals to food safety-net programs.

UnitedHealthcare is excited to continue this important partnership and extend the Food Smart Families program in Louisiana. For more information, click here.

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