Newton students and residents were given a great opportunity to learn last Wednesday at the Newton Municipal School District Health Fair at the Newton Depot.
Crowded inside the Depot, representatives from almost a dozen different health industries set up booths and tables to share their knowledge with the students and residents who visited the fair. Among the industries represented were Hollingsworth Dentistry, Mississippi State Department of Health, the Mississippi State Extension Service, Mississippi Department of Rehabilitation Services, which focuses on helping mentally and physically disabled people find work, Sta-Home Hospice Care, Mississippi Blood Services and Newton Police Department’s Victim Assistance Coordinator Cyndi Robinson Cook.
Joey Ford, a nutritionist with Mississippi State Extension Office in Decatur, said she was there to talk to visitors about healthy eating. Ford said she offers several different programs to both students and adults to teach them how to make good food choices without breaking the bank.
“I teach six classes in the schools, and I also have two classes I do for adults,” she said, adding she has an adult meal demonstration class and a class focusing on prenatal nutrition for pregnant women.
Nutrition is an important aspect of overall health, Ford said. In Mississippi, a nutrition education program, Happy Healthy, is working to educate residents on food choices.
She said anyone wanting to know about nutrition can learn more by looking up HappyHealthyMS on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or Youtube, or by calling the Extension office.
At another table Carla M. Bassett, an oral health consultant with the Mississippi Department of Health, spoke to students about good oral hygiene.
Armed with a table of pamphlets and displays, Bassett pointed to bottles of Coke-Cola, apple juice and Fanta which were filled with white sugar.
“That’s the amount of sugar in each of those drinks,” she said. “People don’t realize how much sugar they’re consuming.”
While there is nothing wrong with enjoying a Coke, Bassett said, people need to be aware of the impact it can have on their teeth. America, she said, has a big problem with oral hygiene.
“We’re the worst country in oral hygiene,” she said.
“Five and under is the worst. By the time they get their first teeth, they already have cavities.”
What many people don’t realize, Bassett said, is even white milk contains a lot of sugar, about four teaspoons per 8-ounce serving.
By educating residents, she said hoped people could make informed decisions and improve their oral health.
Throughout the day Wednesday, students from Newton High School were bussed over to walk through the fair, speak with health representatives and learn about making healthy choices that will prepare them for the future.
