Rita Jackson, Patsy Anthony and Toni Stokes (left to right) work with children and adults to promote good health through healthier food choices. Adults also gain knowledge in how to stretch their food dollars without sacrificing nutrition.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had good news last month: 62 percent of American women are overweight and 33 percent are obese. That's good, because the rate has held steady from 1999 to 2004.

Not so for men and children. Overweight men increased from 67 percent in 1999-2000 to 71 percent in 2003-2004, with obese men rising from 27.5 percent to 31 percent. Girls' numbers were also higher, up from about 14 percent in 1999-2000 to 16 percent in 2003-2004. Boys' rates rose from 14 percent to more than 18 percent.

Also leveling out, along with women's weights, was the percentage of families eating at home as opposed to restaurants, where portions are considered less healthy than home meals.

Noting women have "always been more responsible about health than the general population," Dr. William Dietz, director of the CDC's Division of Nutrition and Physical Activity shed the positive light on the women's level rates. "I'd like to think this shows women are leading the way in recognizing obesity as a health threat," he said.

Indeed, everyone from students--thanks to astute, new policies--to executives are realizing the importance of healthy living. "Balance" is becoming a by-word in America, along with "moderation" and "fun".

These are concepts that were once unnecessary in a region where work was dictated by the sun and moon: People got up with the dawn and went to work; when the sun set low in the sky, they trudged home to enjoy a family meal and well-deserved relaxation. Hard work included plenty of physical activity. Meals were balanced according to what was in season as well as what the family had in their winter stores. Trips to town weren't interrupted by cell phones; convenience appliances and fast-food restaurants didn't provide opportunity to eat on the run. Fun was built in as families rolled up the rugs for homespun dances.

While there is no doubt our ancestors were hard workers, their lives were nevertheless more balanced than the heavy-hitters of today's society. The world has changed a lot in the more than 180 years since families moved into West Tennessee, 77 since they weathered the Great Depression.

For decades, as schools' time and financial resources edged out physical fitness to allow greater concentration in academics, and as an agrarian/industrial economy shifts to a service sector, the slow, relentless calamity of excess weight has befallen students and families blindsided by sedentary studies, occupations, and recreation.

In the trenches, fighting the phenomenon, are three West Tennessee women ready to take their message to the masses after years of promoting healthy habits in schools and to select adult audiences.

Toni Stokes and Patsy Anthony, both from Huntingdon, are program assistants working in the University of Tennessee Agricultural Extension Service's "EFNEP": Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program, located locally at the Carroll County office complex in Huntingdon.

Designed to assist low income families in how to choose and prepare healthy foods on a budget, the sound principles they promote are a boon to any family.

Helping the two take their message to Carroll County residents is area specialist Rita Jackson of the Memphis office. A Mississippi farm girl who was active in 4-H as a student, she earned a bachelor's degree in home economics, with a high emphasis in nutrition and clothing, and a master's in adult education before taking on her current role almost two years ago.

Patsy has worked in the adult program for eight and a half years while Toni has worked in area schools for 13 years--long enough that some adults in Patsy's program recall Toni from their school days, when she was known as "Miss Spiffy", an acronym for a former school program, Special Program in Foods for Youth.

Originally from Willard, Utah, Toni was a small town girl. Patsy grew up in rural Hollow Rock, a country girl raised on a working farm. All three women are dedicated to the program, a devotion made clear in the numbers of customers served.

Patsy is required to graduate at least 75 adults and, Toni, 1000 children. Yet their real numbers are closer to 300 and 2000. "We're proud of that," says Patsy.

Toni visits kindergarten through third graders children in each elementary school in the county, with the exception of McKenzie. Children answer questions about what they've learned and receive a certificate after completing the August through May, six-lesson program, adults after completing 12 sessions, one per month.

"We start with kindergarten so we can have early, good eating habits," says Toni. "It helps children know what's a healthy food as they grow up and start making their own choices. They taste different foods--fruits and vegetables--and portion sizes are important too."

"And exercise is something that is really important as well," adds Rita, noting, "Sometimes, it's the children who go home and teach the parents."

Toni agrees, recalling feedback received from parents after children share what they'd learned.

She and Patsy both spread sound nutrition and food safety methods through summer library programs disseminate literature and they teach children to cut back on fats, salt and sugar and promote a more active lifestyle.

There's a food pyramid guide for every age, activity level and gender. Visit www.mypyramid.gov for your own customized program of healthy eating and exercise.

Patsy sets up from time to time at E.W. James grocery stores and other places in the county, providing food demonstrations to "try and give people ideas on how to cut down their fat content," with recipes like turkey sausage and red bean stew.

"They love it; it's very nutritious and very low fat," she says. "Everybody wants more information on lower fat recipes."

Says Rita, "We go where we know there's a need for the information that we have."

She cites the one-on-one nature of the program as part of its success, with live demonstrations teaching proper methods and taste proving the appeal of low fat recipes.

Sadly, the 36-year-old program, once a mainstay in every county, because of budget cuts is relegated to ten regions today. West and Middle Tennessee each have three programs while East Tennessee has four. Locally, the program remains intact in Shelby, Madison and Carroll
counties, the defining criteria for the selection being population, poverty level and prevalence of disorders such as diabetes, high cholesterol, and heart disease, which are impacted by diet.

"One of our goals is a healthier Carroll County," says Patsy. Both she and Toni are also members of the Carroll County Community Health Council through the county's health department.

Patsy, Toni, and Rita have lots to share about nutrition, food safety, and stretching the family food dollar. So much, in fact, that The McKenzie Banner has decided to launch a new Web site, West Tennessee Health Net (wthealthnet.com). It's where you can go, anytime, for more information about nutrition and happenings on the local health and physical fitness scene.

Sometimes, good eating choices are elementary. Take Fast Food Freddie, of EFNEP's Eating Right is Basic series. Freddie was like a lot of kids his age, he loved to eat at his favorite fast food restaurant. He especially liked french fries and sometimes ate just french fries and soda pop for dinner--a recipe for disaster.

Freddie's mom tried to warn him. "One of these days I'm going to wake you up in the morning and there in your bed will be a child made entirely of fast food--a soda pop body, hamburger head, and french fry arms and legs!"

But Freddie was unmoved, so she devised a plan to allow him to eat fast food for an entire day, at his own expense. He had french fries and rootbeer for breakfast, a hamburger, french fries, soda pop, and a fruit pie for lunch, and for dinner, he bought chicken nuggets, fries, a milk shake and cookies.

He knew the food was low in important nutrients and high in fat and calories. And he had spent his last dime, and borrowed from his sister as well. He missed the good food his mother prepared for the rest of the family.

The next day, Freddie and his mom pretended their home was a fast food restaurant, listing on their menu healthy dinner choices that could be purchased with play money. She challenged Freddie to choose foods that were nutritious and tasted good, without spending all his money.

Laughing at what he might look like if his mom's prediction had come true and he'd turned into a fast food kid, he announced he would like to eat fast food sometimes, but not every day.

"And when I do choose fast food," he said, "it could be juice, milk, and maybe the salad bar if they have one. Most fast food restaurants have a variety of foods to choose from. I want to eat foods every day that are good for my body.

"I'd probably feel better and be richer, too."