Healthy Highlights in Glacier County

Published: 2022
By Jodi Duncan

Glacier County SNAP-Ed Instructor Jodi Duncan serves youth and adult residents of the Blackfeet Reservation, Cut Bank, and Shelby communities. The SNAP-Ed (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Education) program teaches adult participants how to budget their SNAP dollars, cook healthy meals, and how to stay physically active. Each lesson taught to youth participants focuses on both nutrition and physical activity. Students are given the opportunity to sample a healthy snack during each class, exposing them to foods they may not normally try. In 2022, outcomes of Duncan’s work included a 100% behavior change in diet quality and a 75% increase in physical activity in adult graduates. Youth graduates showed an 83% behavior change in diet quality and a 37% improvement in physical activity practices. The SNAP-Ed program is another example of healthy and positive impacts made by MSU Extension in Montana communities and reservations.