Extension
It Starts With Us
Author: Kenna Knight
Major Program: Making Healthy Lifestyle Choices (general)
The new electric pressure cookers and air fryers are currently dominating the consumer small appliance market. Why? Consumers see them as a way to streamline the cooking process. Manufacturers promote them as appliances that make cooking easier, faster, smarter and healthier. As a result of many residents are currently purchasing one and/or tw
Author: Anita Boyd
Major Program: Making Healthy Lifestyle Choices (general)
Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia states “the art of baking remains a fundamental skill and is important for nutrition, as baked goods, especially breads, are a common and important food, both from an economic and cultural point of view.” On December 19th, 2017 Mason County 4-H and EFNEP programs held a one-day Healthy Cupcake Wars competition. Ten (10) youth competed in baking from scratch, “healthy” cupcakes to present to judges. Forty-four percent (44%) of t
Author: Christine Duncan
Major Program: Making Healthy Lifestyle Choices (general)
Physical activity is vital to good health. One of the easiest activities is walking. The Oldham County FCS Agent and members of the Healthy Oldham County Coalition collaborated with the KY Coalition for Healthy Communities to organize a district Challenge Walk to encourage residents to be more physically active. Six Louisville Area counties participated. Participants were ask to count their steps using pedometers or other step counting devices for one hour. Oldham County
Author: Anita Boyd
Major Program: Making Healthy Lifestyle Choices (general)
Life skills are abilities for adaptive and positive behavior that enable humans to deal effectively with the demands and challenges of life according to Wikipedia. Google states a few life skills for health are practicing wellness, being a wise consumer, making great decisions and using community resources. Using the Healthy Choices for Every Body curriculum, the Mason County Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP) assistant taught inmates at the Mason Co
Author: Linda Combs
Major Program: Making Healthy Lifestyle Choices (general)
Knott County Family and Consumer Science agent presented “Do It Yourself Fruit Bouquets for Centerpieces or Gifts” to 21 participants. Participants learned nutritional information about fruit, how to creatively include fruit into a meal, how to encourage family members to add fruit to their diet, what to look for when purchasing fruit, seasonal purchasing of fruit, food safety when preparing fruits, why fruits are important to health and what to look for when reading a nutritio
Author: Lora Pullin
Major Program: Making Healthy Lifestyle Choices (general)
The most recent KY by the Numbers report states, a median household income for families in Greenup County is $42, 452. Greenup County is also one of many counties in Kentucky dealing with a high precedence of chronic disease such as heart disease and diabetes. Research has shown there is a natural link between nutrition and making behavior changes that lead to healthier lifestyle choices. The Greenup County Family and Consumer Sciences Agent along with the Snap-Ed assistant collab
Author: Nanette Banks
Major Program: Making Healthy Lifestyle Choices (general)
The obesity epidemic threatens the quality and years of life among Kentuckians. Obese individuals are at increased risk for many chronic health conditions, such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and stroke. According to the 2014 CEDIK county profile report, the obesity rate in Letcher County is 38.9%. In addition, 37.2% of individuals in Letcher County report being physically inactive.The Letcher County Extension Agent for Family and Consumer Sciences offered a
Author: Anna Morgan
Major Program: Making Healthy Lifestyle Choices (general)
Fulton County, Kentucky population is 6,192 with 21% age 18 years or younger. According to the 2017 Kentucky Kids Count, 22.4% of those children live in food insecure households. A study by Feeding America shows that there is a link between nutrition and cognitive development, providing evidence that the brain's ability to develop can be negatively impacted when adequate nutrition is not available. A child not getting enough to eat on a regular basis can delay brain development and the child
Author: Julia Wilson
Major Program: Making Healthy Lifestyle Choices (general)
Family Lifestyles Television ShowThe Extension Agents for Family and Consumer Science Education, in eight counties of the Mammoth Cave Area that can access the Proclaim Broadcasting network, WPBM TV Channel 31 via cable, dish, digital or antenna television have partnered to take over hosting of the 30 minute, weekly Family Lifestyles television show. Fifty five episodes were taped and aired from October 16, 2017 – October 15, 2018.The eight Mammoth Cave Area Counties that currently ha
Author: Nola Janeen Tramble
Major Program: Making Healthy Lifestyle Choices (general)
Ovarian cancer causes more deaths than any other cancer of the female reproductive system but accounts for only 3% of all cancer diagnosis. This is due to the symptoms being so subtle and the cancer not regularly screened. The Crittenden County Homemaker’s recently partnered with the Women’s Club of Marion, Crittenden County Health Systems and Pennyrile District Heath Department/Crittenden Health Center to host an Ovarian Cancer Awareness Tea. The group spent months of planning for t
Author: Tiffany Calvert
Major Program: Making Healthy Lifestyle Choices (general)
According to Kentucky Health Facts, 57% of Ohio County is overweight, 29% are obese, 28% smoke and only 17% get the recommended amount of fruits and vegetables in their diet. These health factors increase the risk of an individual developing type 2 diabetes. Research shows that diabetes can be prevented 58% of the time through lifestyle change. To address these issues, the Ohio County Extension collaborated with Perdue Farms, Ohio County Health Coalition and OC Monitor developed a diabetes preve
Author: Christy Stearns
Major Program: Making Healthy Lifestyle Choices (general)
Participation in the UK Cooperative Extension Programs to Reduce Obesity in High Obesity Areas (CDC-1416) prompted our community to take a closer look at how the built environment is a contributing factor to our community’s greater than state and national averages in obesity, high blood pressure, and heart disease. Health Coalition members and community leaders noted that parks and playgrounds were outdated and in need of renovations and updates to make them more appealing to ind
Author: Paul Andrew Rideout
Major Program: Making Healthy Lifestyle Choices (general)
Local Food Pantry Teams up to Provide Fresh VegetablesThe Christian Outreach Food Pantry in Henderson County fills over five thousand food boxes annually to provide food for limited resource families in the community. Most of the products are donated by local grocers and other benevolent community groups. Mary Dunham, the food pantry director, reached out to Henderson County Extension to help fill the need for fresh produce. Henderson County Extension SNAP ED Assistant teamed up with the Horticu
Author: Paula Jerrell
Major Program: Making Healthy Lifestyle Choices (general)
Ballard County is 62% free and reduced lunches. With this high percentage, our annual Bomber Bash is a real need for our county. Bomber Bash is sponsored by Family Focus, our Family Resource and Youth Services Center. Many county organizations and businesses offer free school supplies, hygiene supplies, hair cuts and more. Ballard County Cooperative Extension offers SNAP-ED items for youth and families to encourage them to try healthy snacks and recipes. We give them pencils, food pyramid,
Author: Rachael Price
Major Program: Making Healthy Lifestyle Choices (general)
The obesity epidemic threatens the quality and years of life of Kentuckians. According to the County diabetes atlas in 2013 36.3% of adults in Grant County were obese. Obese individuals are at increased risk for many chronic health conditions, including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and some types of cancers.To combat this in Grant County, the Grant County Family and Consumer Science Program (FCS) program in partnership with the Northern Kentucky Health Department and community o
Author: Katherine Jury
Major Program: Making Healthy Lifestyle Choices (general)
Many of the behavior determinants of health, such as activity level, consumption of fruits and vegetables, hygiene habits, smoking, etc. are routines that can be established during childhood and adolescents. The younger that children establish healthy routines, the more likely they are to retain these health patterns into adulthood. According the CDC statistics, Hopkins County has a higher prevalence of obesity (34%) and lack of exercise (34%) that the state average. In a
Author: Cabrina Buckman
Major Program: Making Healthy Lifestyle Choices (general)
According to kentuckyhealthfacts.org, in Washington County 17% of adults have diabetes, 29% of adults have hypertension, and the rate of heart disease deaths is 182 per 100,000 population. These disease states are associated with unhealthy lifestyles and may be prevented with good health and nutrition. To address the importance of good nutrition, the Washington County High School Family and Consumer Sciences Teacher asked the Washington County Family and Consumer Sciences Extension A
Author: Mary Hixson
Major Program: Making Healthy Lifestyle Choices (general)
According to the Cabinet for Health and Family Services, the Kentucky Diabetes Report, the prevalence of diabetes has more than tripled since 1995. Diabetes is a common, serious and costly disease for Kentuckians. However diabetes is controllable if the disease is diagnosed early and managed well by a health care team and the individual. According to Kentucky Health Facts 18% of Garrard County adults have been diagnosed with diabetes. Without a Diabetes Educator for several yea
Author: Donna Fryman
Major Program: Making Healthy Lifestyle Choices (general)
Thirty percent of individuals in the Commonwealth report no leisure-time physical activity. Increased consumption of unhealthy food, stress, and built environments that promote physical inactivity are largely responsible for the obesity epidemic. As a result, Kentuckians are dying from heart disease and cancer at higher rates than all Americans and they have a lower life expectancy, 75.5 years, compared to 78 years for Americans. Unhealthy lifestyle choices also lead to stroke, falls, poor oral
Author: Vicki Shadrick
Major Program: Making Healthy Lifestyle Choices (general)
According to agfax, every three days a child dies in an ag-related incident. For youth working on the farm, tractors are the leading cause of death, followed by ATV’s. Each day, approximately 33 children are injured in an agriculture-related accident. Webster County Extension has been a recipient of the Progressive Ag Foundation Safety Day Grant for the past 10 years. The mission for the foundation is to “Provide education, training and resources to make
Author: Sherri Broderick
Major Program: Making Healthy Lifestyle Choices (general)
Gallatin County is a small rural Kentucky county with a population of approximately 8,500. CountyHealthRankings.org data, rank Gallatin, 85th of 120 counties in Kentucky in health behaviors; 36% of adult residents are obese, and 32% report no physical activity. The Gallatin County Cooperative Extension Service hosted a Health Challenge to Gallatin County School employees. It has been well documented that when people monitor their behavior and measure how they’re doing, they are
Author: Jill Harris
Major Program: Making Healthy Lifestyle Choices (general)
The Coalition for a Healthy Todd County identified obesity as one of its two main priorities to focus on for 4 years. Two partners in the coalition, the Todd County Extension Office and the Todd County Health Department, joined together to offer a 16-week weight-loss class called “Fit Together” to address the issue. The class encouraged goal setting, team competition, physical activity, while providing nutrition education and taste testing, and has now been offered 3 time
Author: Kate Thompson
Major Program: Making Healthy Lifestyle Choices (general)
According to the CDC, “Obesity is a serious concern because it is associated with poorer mental health outcomes, reduced quality of life, and the leading causes of death in the U.S. and worldwide, including diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and some types of cancer. “With a population of 92,488, Campbell County’s obesity rate is 31% and physical activity rate is 24% (US Census Bureau). “Good nutrition, physical activity, and a healthy body weight are essential parts
Author: Sheila Fawbush
Major Program: Making Healthy Lifestyle Choices (general)
Heart disease is the No. 1 killer of women, causing 1 in 3 deaths each year. But it doesn’t affect all women alike, and the warning signs for women aren’t the same as in men. Cardiovascular disease is largely preventable with lifestyle changes. The Shelby County Family and Consumer Sciences Agent and the Family and Consumer Sciences Advisory Council planned a “Go Red for Heart Health” luncheon and educational program. The free luncheon was sponsored by eleven communi
Author: Hazel Jackson
Major Program: Making Healthy Lifestyle Choices (general)
It the beginning of April, Rockcastle County FCS hosted its first Cooking Together/Eating Together Dinner Social. 5 adultl/child groups attended the new program an additional 4 children attended with a friend and his/her parent. The children ranged in age from 4 to 12 years old; 4 youth attended with a parent and 1 attended with a grandparent. The FCS agent recruited 2 volunteers to assist as well. The children were active in preparation of the dinner meal and made the d
Author: Christine Duncan
Major Program: Making Healthy Lifestyle Choices (general)
Still Room for ImprovementOldham County has received the honor to be recognized as the healthiest in the State of Kentucky. Regardless of this award we still have 28 % obesity for the general population and an even higher rate for minorities. To address this issue the Family and Consumer Science agent and the EFNEP assistant offer Healthy Cooking and Nutrition classes. After one of the seven session classes, one participant was so inspired that she wanted to take the informatio
Author: Amy Stooksbury
Major Program: Making Healthy Lifestyle Choices (general)
Focus on Fruits and Vegetables Fruits and vegetables contribute important under-consumed nutrients to our diets. They may reduce the risk of many chronic diseases, and may help individuals achieve and maintain a healthy weight when consumed instead of higher calorie foods.Todd County data from 2015-2017 shows only 18% of adults consume 5 or more servings of fruits and vegetables per day, while 74% of Todd County adults show a prevalence of being overweight. (Data Source BRFSS)The Todd Count
Author: Sarah Congleton
Major Program: Making Healthy Lifestyle Choices (general)
Heart Healthy Lunch and Learn Program 60% of Martin County’s population have been diagnosed with heart disease. The Family and Consumer Sciences Agent partnered with the Supplemental Nutrition Education Program Assistant and the Martin County Public Libraries to host a healthy lunch and learn series to offer several free educational series once a month to the general public.One of the education series topics covered heart disease. Both the Family and Consumer Sciences Agent and Supple
Author: Nanette Banks
Major Program: Making Healthy Lifestyle Choices (general)
A healthy eating pattern promotes health and helps to decrease the risk of chronic diseases. The Letcher County Family & Consumer Sciences Agent taught Mindful Eating as a homemaker lesson to the Quicksand Area homemakers. Homemakers took a pre and post-test with the following results:85% of participants recognize the consequences of mindless eating86% recognize how to solve problems related to mindless eating88% plan to change behaviors related to mindless eating, such as avoid eating
Author: Alethea Price
Major Program: Making Healthy Lifestyle Choices (general)
Drug overdose deaths are a leading contributor to premature death and are largely preventable. Currently, the United States is experiencing an epidemic of drug overdose deaths. Since 2000, the rate of drug overdose deaths has increased by 137 percent nationwide. Opioids contribute largely to drug overdose deaths; since 2000, there has been a 200 percent increase in deaths involving opioids (opioid pain relievers and heroin).The opioid epidemic has been a growing issue across the state and nation
Author: Sheila Fawbush
Major Program: Making Healthy Lifestyle Choices (general)
Regular physical activity is one of the most important things people can do to improve their health. While research shows that adding movement to your life can have measurable benefits, almost 80 percent of adults are not meeting the minimum guidelines for both aerobic and muscle-strengthening activity. This lack of physical activity is linked to approximately half of all American adults—117 million people—having one or more preventable chronic diseases.In response to this, the Shelb
Author: Karli Giles
Major Program: Making Healthy Lifestyle Choices (general)
During the months of March and April, What’s In a Doctor’s Bag was presented to 63 students at Jessamine County Head Start. Head Start is a preschool in Jessamine County serving 3 and 4 year olds from low income households. The purpose of this program was to make students more aware of what to expect when going to the doctor, to therefore decrease the student’s fear of going to the doctor while also emphasizing the importance of doctor visits. Before the lessons began, students
Author: Whitney Hilterbran
Major Program: Making Healthy Lifestyle Choices (general)
#Adulting Success StoryAccording to the U.S. Census Bureau, 25% of the population in Scott County is under the age of 18. It is important to invest in the well-being of this population since they will eventually become the future of our county. In partnership with the Department of Family and Juvenile Justice, Scott County Cooperative Extension Office implemented a series of educational programs to help at-risk youth enrich their basic life skills.In a 2013 study, Puspakumarag showed that life s
Author: Jane Proctor
Major Program: Making Healthy Lifestyle Choices (general)
Diet quality indicators for Kentucky reflect low intake of fruit and vegetables among both adults and adolescents – 37% if adolescents consume fruit less than once daily, and 38.5% consume vegetables less than once daily, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The CDC also reported a 19.7 percent obesity rate for Kentucky youth ages 10 to 17 years old, which is eighth highest in the nation. The Food Research and Action Center (FRAC) reports a positive correlati
Author: Jane Proctor
Major Program: Making Healthy Lifestyle Choices (general)
According to the 2017 Kentucky State Police Report, Crime in Kentucky, drug/narcotic offenses increased 10.47% from 2016 to 2017. There were 184 drug arrests and 86 drug/narcotic offenses in Trimble County. Based on this data, it is evident that there is a strong need for substance abuse education, prevention and intervention in Trimble County. The number of diverted prescriptions and illegal drugs, overdoses, thefts, arrests, court cases, and medical/financial consequences of drug
Author: Sheila Fawbush
Major Program: Making Healthy Lifestyle Choices (general)
The prevalence of obesity in America has been an ongoing and increasing issue. In Kentucky, 30% of adults are obese, while Shelby County has a 30.9% obesity rate. The low-income preschool obesity rates are alarming as well, with 21.3% of children being overweight or obese in Shelby County, and 15.9% of children being overweight and obese in the entire state. According to Kentucky Health News in early 2014, only 23% of Kentuckians consume the recommended 5 or more servings a day of fruits and veg
Author: Kenna Knight
Major Program: Making Healthy Lifestyle Choices (general)
The Pendleton County Family and Consumer Science Extension Agent in collaboration with six administrators and eight teachers from the Pendleton County School District, both the North and South Family Resource Directors and the local health department offered the Recipe for Life program to 217 fifth grade students. 40 Adult volunteers and 40 high school student volunteers worked with students in a hands-on-educational setting to teach important life skill that strengthen the Assets as ident
Author: Ashley Board
Major Program: Making Healthy Lifestyle Choices (general)
The Center for Disease Control reports that 33.2% of Kentucky residents are obese and only 16.6% of Kentuckians meet the aerobic and muscle strengthening guidelines. It is evident that an increased level of physical activity is essential. Physical activity has been shown to help individuals meet healthy weight goals, strengthen bones and muscles, improve mood, prevent falls, and reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and some cancers. In order to addr
Author: Amanda Hardy
Major Program: Making Healthy Lifestyle Choices (general)
According to the American Cancer Society, in 2015, 50% of women ages 40 years and older reported having a mammogram within the past year, and 64% reported having one within the past two years. Mammography use in the past two years was lowest among the uninsured (31%). Among women ages 21-65 years, 83% were up-to-date with cervical cancer screening in 2015; uptake was lowest among the uninsured (64%) and recent immigrants (70%). In 2015, 63% of adults ages 50 years and older were up-to date for c
Author: Natalie Taul
Major Program: Making Healthy Lifestyle Choices (general)
Diabetes costs Kentucky 3.85 billion annually. According to 2016 Kentucky data, more than 13.1% of Kentucky adults have been diagnosed with diabetes – an increase of 50% since 2000. If these trends continue, 1 in 3 Kentuckians will develop diabetes sometime in their life. Those with diabetes lose an average of 10-15 years of potential life and can develop serious complications such as cardiovascular disease, blindness, kidney failure, and non-traumatic lower extremity amputations.Specifica
Author: Bryce Roberts
Major Program: Making Healthy Lifestyle Choices (general)
Benefits of learning to cook as a teenager is a skill one can use throughout their lifetime. In the past few years, society has gotten away from teaching younger generations this skill set, due to prepackaged foods, fast food, and overly busy lifestyles. This is why the 4H Agent, Agriculture Agent, FCS Agent, and program assistant partnered with the Spencer County High School FCS Teacher to provide cooking and nutrition classes.Once a month, the Extension Office would plan and teach a cook
Author: Rebecca Miller
Major Program: Making Healthy Lifestyle Choices (general)
With more parents not getting their children vaccinated, not taking them in for checkups, and improper hand washing techniques, measles, hepatitis A and other diseases are on the rise. In hopes to educate parents of the importance of all of these and to help make young children feel safe and not afraid of doctor’s visits, the Bell County FCS Agent partnered with local family resource center directors to offer the program “What’s In a Doctor’s Bag?&rdqu
Author: Cecelia Hostilo
Major Program: Making Healthy Lifestyle Choices (general)
The Trigg County Senior Center is an Allied Community Services Agency that serves older adults by providing low cost lunches, social activities, and educational programming. Each year funding to this valuable agency gets cut and they turn to the Trigg County Extension Service to help fill in the gaps that they can no longer porvide on their own. The FCS agent and the SNAP para-professional make regular visits each month to provide health and nutrition lessons. The ANR agent and
Author: Rachel Gillespie
Major Program: Making Healthy Lifestyle Choices (general)
During the first year of the CDC High Obesity Program grant, extensive exploration and planning has taken place in Martin County. Currently, the adult obesity rate of Martin County is 40.2%, which is greater than state and national averages respectively. Further, this rural county experiences chronic economic disparity and depreciating environmental resources. In particular, the poor water quality drastically impacts the county, as many residents are left without an accessible and clean water so
Author: Jordan Crain
Major Program: Making Healthy Lifestyle Choices (general)
The gluten-free diet is emerging as one of the most popular trend on the market, but gluten seems to be widely misunderstood. In response to requests for more information on gluten-free diets, The Gluten-Free Choice Is it for me? class was offered in Green County.Participants that were able to attend the lesson also received a sample of a gluten-free recipe that had been prepared. At the beginning it was shown that 75% of those attending were not following a gluten-free diet but were hopefu
Author: Kelli Bonifer
Major Program: Making Healthy Lifestyle Choices (general)
The gluten-free diet is emerging as one of the most popular trends on the market, but gluten seems to be widely misunderstood. As a result, the Family and Consumer Sciences Agent in Adair County hosted a program titled "The Gluten-Free Choice: Is it for me?" in order to define gluten, describe a gluten-free diet, and discuss who should follow this specific diet. Seven individuals participated in the program. At the conclusion of the program, one individual reported, “t
Author: Crystal Osborne
Major Program: Making Healthy Lifestyle Choices (general)
Owsley County Agent for Family and Consumer Sciences collaborated with homemaker groups to offer the Healthy Homemakers series to a total of twenty-five participants. One-hundred percent of participants identified the effects of stress on the body. Ninety-four percent of participants examined the different causes of stress in their lives and how to manage them. A follow-up evaluation revealed that 85% percent of participants have worked to decrease stress in their lives.
Author: Catherine Jansen
Major Program: Making Healthy Lifestyle Choices (general)
Health FairTo help raise awareness of the importance of good health, the Carroll County Cooperative Extension Service along with St. Elizabeth Hospital, Triad Health Systems, Three Rivers Health Department, Humana, MarketPOINT, Kidney Health Alliance, Northern KY Area DD, Fair View, Carroll County Chiropractor, and Northern Kentucky Bluegrass Navigators held a Community Health Fair. Fifty four presenters and participants enjoyed the day. Included was 4 Hispanics, 1 African American,
Author: Rachel Hance
Major Program: Making Healthy Lifestyle Choices (general)
According to the Barren River District Health Department, Logan County ranks in the 95th percentile for childhood obesity. This data includes 23% of kindergarten age and 30% of 6th grade students that are reported as obese. To address these alarming statistics, the Logan County Extension Agents for Family and Consumer Sciences and 4-H Youth Development coordinated with the Assistant Principal and Family Resource Director at Auburn School to present the Wellness in Kentucky curriculum to the stud
Author: Lora Howard
Major Program: Making Healthy Lifestyle Choices (general)
Clay County is a small rural county in Eastern Kentucky, families are encouraged to make choices to improve health and well-being, participate in physical activity, and chronic disease prevention. According to 2014 statistics 43% of Clay County is obese with 18% of the adults have been diagnosed with diabetes, and 33% of the adults do not meet the standard activity level. Learning and practicing healthy choices at a young age can impact the quality and years of life. The Family
Author: Emily DeWitt
Major Program: Making Healthy Lifestyle Choices (general)
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) selected the University of Kentucky (UK) as one of 15 land grant universities funded to collaborate with the Cooperative Extension Service (CES) to increase access to healthier foods and safe and accessible places for physical activity. The funding is part of a High Obesity Program (HOP) cooperative agreement which will run through 2023. Martin County, a rural community situated on the West Virginia border in Appalachia, was chosen for t
Author: LeChrista Finn
Major Program: Making Healthy Lifestyle Choices (general)
Violence is a number one public health threat in the United States and like other communities, Lexington has seen an increase in the number of violent crimes as well. In response to this issue, Kentucky Sate University Cooperative Extension Health Specialist has endeavored for the last four years to support communities in the Commonwealth to address domestic violence, gun violence and bullying in minority and under-served communities. Her initial forum helped to identify community le
Author: Shannon Smith
Major Program: Making Healthy Lifestyle Choices (general)
The life of the high school senior is full of “adult” decisions: selecting a college, picking a major, choosing a career path, and moving out! Although today’s adolescents are technologically advanced compared to prior generations, they sometimes lack basic practical living skills. After being approached by school officials with this very same concern, the Family Consumer Science Agent and 4-H Youth Development Agent decided a crash course was needed. The Adulting 10
Author: Chandra DeRamus
Major Program: Making Healthy Lifestyle Choices (general)
Obesity continues to be an issue across the United States. According to the State of Obesity organization, Kentucky has the eighth highest obesity rate in the nation. It was at 34% in 2018. In addition, Kentucky has the third highest obesity rate for youth who are between the ages of 10 to 17 years old. As a result, Kentucky State University Cooperative Extension program created a partnership with a community organization called Communicare. Communicare provides behaviori
Author: Lora Howard
Major Program: Making Healthy Lifestyle Choices (general)
Clay County is a small rural county in Eastern Kentucky, families are encouraged to make choices to improve health and well-being, participate in physical activity, and chronic disease prevention. According to 2014 statistics 43% of Clay County is obese with 18% of the adults have been diagnosed with diabetes, and 33% of the adults do not meet the standard activity level. Learning and practicing healthy choices at a young age can impact the quality and years of life. The Family and Consumer
Author: Cabrina Buckman
Major Program: Making Healthy Lifestyle Choices (general)
The safety of local youth will always be a top priority for communities. In response to the need for safety education, the Washington County Extension Family and Consumer Sciences Agent partnered with the Washington County Schools Family Resources Youth Services Center to plan and implement Safety Day. Other partners included instructors such as local first responders, a fire fighter, a pharmacy intern, and the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation Officer. The
Author: Cabrina Buckman
Major Program: Making Healthy Lifestyle Choices (general)
According to the County Health Rankings, in Washington County the rate of adult obesity is 34% and the rate of physical inactivity is 30%. Lifestyle can greatly influence the risk for chronic disease, such as heart disease and diabetes. To encourage healthy lifestyles, the Washington County Family and Consumer Sciences Agent partnered with the Lincoln Trail District Health Department and the Washington County SNAP-Ed Program Assistant to plan and implement the Biggest Winner Wellness
Author: Gregory Comer
Major Program: Making Healthy Lifestyle Choices (general)
Migrant youth are children whose families work in the agricultural or other industries and often move several times, to find work. Nationwide, it is estimated that 90 percent of migrant children are of Latino origin and are at risk for poverty, unsafe living/working conditions, no health insurance benefits and lack of educational opportunities. Each year the Ohio Co. Extension Staff conducts educational sessions with the youth, involved in the O
Author: Sherri Broderick
Major Program: Making Healthy Lifestyle Choices (general)
Good nutrition is critical to good health, age doesn’t matter. Studies show that poor nutrition is the biggest threat to an aging adult’s independence. According to the USDA Healthy Eating Index, Diet Quality of Older Americans the overall diet quality of Americans age 65 and older has not significantly improved in the last several years. The report indicated to improve their diet quality, Americans need to increase their intakes of whole grains, dark green and oran
Author: Christy Ramey
Major Program: Making Healthy Lifestyle Choices (general)
Adopting healthy lifestyles for overall well-being is a major initiative of Cooperative Extension’s Family and Consumer Sciences. The Simpson County Cooperative Extension Service used the State Blender Bike to promote physical activity and nutrition throughout Simpson County last fall. Through the efforts of the 4-H agent and FCS agent, the Blender Bike reached 1,100 people through school and industry health fairs, classrooms, day cares, Head Start, a local church, Cooking with Kids,
Author: Joyce Doyle
Major Program: Making Healthy Lifestyle Choices (general)
The Recipes for Life program began when County Extension Homemakers identified the need to support the development of life skills for youth in the community. Skills such as nutrition education, food preparation, food and kitchen safety, recipe reading, kitchen and cooking organization, and math and science were lacking in our youth. The goal of the program is to teach the necessary skills that lead youth to a better quality of life.For the third year in a roll, the Carroll County Ext
Author: Rachel Hance
Major Program: Making Healthy Lifestyle Choices (general)
Many basic life skills are not the focus of regular classroom curriculum that students learn in the classroom. To address this issue, the Logan County Extension Agents for Family and Consumer Sciences and 4-H Youth Development pulled together 4-H and Family Consumer Science curriculum to build an Adulting 101 program. The agents then partnered with the Assistant Principal and Family Resource Director at Auburn School to present the Adulting 101 school enrichment program to the students. There we
Author: Jordan Crain
Major Program: Making Healthy Lifestyle Choices (general)
Small Appliance WorkshopNew, trendy small appliances seem to be coming out on the market at a rapid rate. These are often marketed to consumers to save time, money and energy. These products are often purchased without being fully researched and the consumer is left with a new machine that they do not know how to properly use. This contributes to money invested in a product that is not being used and space that is now being occupied by bulky boxes. In an effort to educate consumers about ne
Author: Allison Lewis
Major Program: Making Healthy Lifestyle Choices (general)
Many American’s only have a minimal amount of extra time, this is the same for Spencer County Residents. That is why the Spencer County FCS agent and the program assistant developed a lunch and learn program at the Spencer County Library where residents could come once a month to learn various information on such topics as: the air fryer, essential oils, holistic living, container gardening, and basic nutrition for one hour. This the second year for this program and the turnout more than d
Author: Allison Lewis
Major Program: Making Healthy Lifestyle Choices (general)
Many American’s only have a minimal amount of extra time, this is the same for Spencer County Residents. That is why the Spencer County FCS agent and the program assistant developed a lunch and learn program at the Spencer County Library where residents could come once a month to learn various information on such topics as: the air fryer, essential oils, holistic living, container gardening, and basic nutrition for one hour. This the second year for this program and the turnout more than d
Author: Christy Ramey
Major Program: Making Healthy Lifestyle Choices (general)
In order to promote increased physical activity and its importance in our overall health and wellness, the Get Active Simpson (GAS) Program was developed by the Get Healthy Simpson Coalition and the University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension FCS agent. The program uses the physical activity mile (PAM) as fifteen minutes of continued movement to represent a walking mile. Teams are formed and captains are required to report to the Simpson County FCS agent weekly totals for the team
Author: Kayla Walton
Major Program: Making Healthy Lifestyle Choices (general)
The life of the high school senior is full of “adult” decisions: selecting a college, picking a major, choosing a career path, and moving out! Although today’s adolescents are technologically advanced compared to prior generations, they sometimes lack basic practical living skills. After being approached by school officials with this very same concern, the Family Consumer Science Agent and 4-H Youth Development Agent decided a crash course was needed. The Adulting 101 pro
Author: Karen Denniston
Major Program: Making Healthy Lifestyle Choices (general)
The Beyond program is a partnership between Extension Family and Consumer Sciences and the Kentucky Drug Court in Bourbon, Scott and Woodford counties. The formation began in January of 2019. The purpose Beyond is to provide research based educational information to support people in recovery. The name “Beyond” refers to the life beyond addiction and the transition to improve quality of life post recovery. The partnership with Extension was an obvious choice in offering t
Author: Jennifer Bridge
Major Program: Making Healthy Lifestyle Choices (general)
Obesity and lack of physical activity are attributed to increased health risks and sixty-six percent of Meade County residents are considered overweight or obese (BRFSS '17). To address this risk the Lincoln Trail Area District Health educator and the Meade County FCS agent worked together to identify potential ways consumers could be proactive to reduce weight and improve overall health. A program concept was created called Health Intervention to Prevention. To be e
Author: Jennifer Bridge
Major Program: Making Healthy Lifestyle Choices (general)
Obesity and lack of physical activity are attributed to increased health risks and sixty-six percent of Meade County residents are considered overweight or obese (BRFSS). To address the risk the Lincoln Trail Area District Health educator and the Meade County FCS agent worked together to identify potential ways consumers could be proactive to reduce weight and improve overall health. A program concept was created called Health Intervention to Prevention. &n
Author: Lynn Blankenship
Major Program: Making Healthy Lifestyle Choices (general)
Sumitomo of Edmonton is a factory that manufactures car parts. Employees often work long shifts, in a fast paced, detail oriented setting. Employees work at times, up to seven days a week during periods of high production demand. Many Sumitomo employees have suffered from stress related health impacts such as Type II diabetes, overweight, obesity and cardiovascular health issues, but they are all working on improving their wellness. For over 10 years, this FCS Extension A
Author: Shonda Johnston
Major Program: Making Healthy Lifestyle Choices (general)
Clark County Activity Coalition implemented a county wide Wellness Challenge to incentivize Clark County residents to increase health and wellness in 2019. The Clark County Cooperative Extension Service partnered with the Activity Coalition to provide education classes on healthy eating. Previous surveys conducted by the Family & Consumer Sciences Agent indicated a desire from survey participants to learn more about healthy eating usin an electric pressure cooker. To meet this need, classes
Author: Matti Coffey
Major Program: Making Healthy Lifestyle Choices (general)
The Whitley County Cooperative Extension Service implemented the Body Balance: Protect Your Body from Pollution with a Healthy Lifestyle lesson series. The series was delivered to an audience of 12 participants, composed primarily of young adults. Following the lesson, there was a 100% increase in knowledge pertaining to understanding the benefits phytonutrients have in negating the detrimental effects of environmental pollution. Furthermore, there was a 100% increase among participants per
Author: Lynn Blankenship
Major Program: Making Healthy Lifestyle Choices (general)
This Extension Agent for Family and Consumer Sciences education, attended the certification training offered through FCS Extension in December 2018, for Stories, Songs and Stretches a Yoga informed active story time, language and movement enrichment program, designed for use with preschool populations. This Extension Agent completed the post training requirements of creating, running and completing an evaluation, for three sessions of Stories, Songs and Stretches with both of the Metcalfe
Author: Kate Thompson
Major Program: Making Healthy Lifestyle Choices (general)
In Kentucky, 37.1% of children are overweight or obese, and 51% of Kentucky children are not exercising regularly (Kids Count, 2016-2017). Kentucky has the 8th highest rate of childhood obesity in the nation (State of Obesity, 2016). In Campbell County (population 92,488), adult obesity is 32%. Twenty-four percent of adults in the county are physically inactive. Healthy habits started in childhood are likely to continue into adulthood. In order to foster heal
Author: Ronda Rex
Major Program: Making Healthy Lifestyle Choices (general)
“A healthy lifestyle involves many choices. Among them, choosing a balanced diet or healthy eating plan. So how do you choose a healthy eating plan? Let’s begin by defining what a healthy eating plan is.According to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2015–2020, a healthy eating plan: Emphasizes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, fat-free or low-fat milk and milk products, includes lean meats, poultry, fish, beans, eggs, and nuts, is low in saturated fats, trans fats, cho
Author: Kendyl Redding
Major Program: Making Healthy Lifestyle Choices (general)
The Family and Consumer Sciences Extension Agent and the Powell County Health Department conducted a four-week diabetes educational series in the Fall of 2018 and Spring of 2019. This series aimed to teach diabetics and their family members how to better understand and manage their diabetes. Weekly lesson topics included: Understanding Diabetes, The ABCs (A1C, Blood Glucose, and Cholesterol) of Diabetes, Nutrition for Diabetes, and Getting Routine Care. Participants were also able to sample and
Author: Rita Stewart
Major Program: Making Healthy Lifestyle Choices (general)
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 11% of adults in Kentucky have diabetes and 34% of adults ages 19 years and over were obese in 2016. 29.8% of adults ages 18 years and over also reported no leisure-time exercise in the past month. In order to empower participants to take better control of their own health, this Family and Consumer Sciences Agent has taught families to improve health and well-being by choosing a nutritious diet, increasing health literacy t
Author: Deborah Messenger
Major Program: Making Healthy Lifestyle Choices (general)
According to the Center of Disease Control, 32.2% of adults in Cumberland County reported no leisure time exercise in the past month. Furthermore, only 28% of Cumberland County residents have adequate access to locations for physical activity. There is one fitness center in the county.The Cumberland County Family and Consumer Sciences Agent, Lake Cumberland District Health Department and Centerpoint Church partnered to begin a Walking Program in January. This was offered at the Cumberland County
Author: Luciana Hockersmith
Major Program: Making Healthy Lifestyle Choices (general)
The Extension Agent for Family and Consumer Sciences Education in Metcalfe County compiled a four unit curriculum in 2014/15, which has been actively in the pilot process, for fine tuning and revision; prior to submission for publication through University of Kentucky Family and Consumer Sciences Extension publication process. The Metcalfe County FCS Agent has piloted it with freshmen and middle school eighth grade students, over the past four years. For the 2018/19 program year, 97
Author: Amanda Broderick
Major Program: Making Healthy Lifestyle Choices (general)
Out of the slew of cancers that an individual can be diagnosed with colon cancer remains one of the most treatable with early detection. Despite this many individuals do not participate in the recommended screening procedures for detection of the disease. Lewis County in particular is currently failing to meet the Healthy People 2020 objective for colon cancer screenings and diagnosis (statecancerprofile.cancer.gov). The community was also recently shocked with the disease when the wife of the l
Author: Judith O'Bryan
Major Program: Making Healthy Lifestyle Choices (general)
Research shows that preparing and eating meals at home can have positive impact on families by strengthening family ties and leading to better physical and mental health. In an effort to encourage more families to make family mealtime a priority, Family & Consumer Science Agents in the Wilderness Trail Area organized and conducted a Wilderness Trail Area Holiday Cooking School focused on family meal preparation. 250 participants from the eight counties from the Wilderness Trail A
Author: Luciana Hockersmith
Major Program: Making Healthy Lifestyle Choices (general)
The Extension Agent for Family and Consumer Sciences Education in Metcalfe County compiled a four unit curriculum in 2014/15, which has been actively in the pilot process, for fine tuning and revision; prior to submission for publication through University of Kentucky Family and Consumer Sciences Extension publication process. The Metcalfe County FCS Agent has piloted it with freshmen and middle school eighth grade students, over the past four years. For the 2018/19 program year, 97
Author: Tamera Magee
Major Program: Making Healthy Lifestyle Choices (general)
Substance abuse including the abuse of prescription drugs is a major concern nationwide. This problem impacts the families, the economy, the criminal justice system, and medical/emergency response systems. The number of families who have lost loved ones has increased annually over the past ten years. According to the 2017 Overdose Fatality Report prepared by the Kentucky Office of Drug Control Policy, twenty-five people died from an overdose. In an effort to educate our communi
Author: Denise Wooley
Major Program: Making Healthy Lifestyle Choices (general)
Throughout summer break some kids take a "break" from making the healthiest choices when it comes to what they eat, drink and do for physical activity. As a reminder to stay moving and make healthy choices the Blender Bike when on a road tour. The Blender Bike toured this summer to 9 different summer camp groups and made learning about healthy drink choices more fun! The Blender Bike is a fun and interactive teaching tool that almost 350 kids got to utilize to peddle their way to
Author: Paul Andrew Rideout
Major Program: Making Healthy Lifestyle Choices (general)
It is well documented that youth in Kentucky falls behind with healthy habits; in particularly with youth. More and more, youth are spending more time indoors with television and video games instead of outdoor, more physically active activities. The Henderson County Extension office put together a summer program to encourage healthy habits and learn about nature and the area we live in. For 8 weeks, participants joined the Henderson County Horticulture agent for short 2-3 mile hikes
Author: Danielle Ford
Major Program: Making Healthy Lifestyle Choices (general)
We all are guilty of watching the infomercials and thinking to ourselves they make it look so easy to operate that new appliance that I just need it in my kitchen…the price is very reasonable, I can work with that….I just need it for my kitchen, I know I will cook all the time with that thing….I just got to have it. And there it comes in the mail all shiny and new, and yet it sits on the counter collecting dust. But that is far from the case in Marion County. This year we of
Author: Alivia Faris
Major Program: Making Healthy Lifestyle Choices (general)
The life of the high school senior is full of “adult” decisions: selecting a college, picking a major, choosing a career path, and moving out! Although today’s adolescents are technologically advanced compared to prior generations, they sometimes lack basic practical living skills. After being approached by school officials with this very same concern, the Family Consumer Science Agent and 4-H Youth Development Agent decided a crash course was needed. The Adulting 101 program w
Author: Kendyl Redding
Major Program: Making Healthy Lifestyle Choices (general)
The Family and Consumer Sciences Agent and SNAP-Ed assistant began a monthly program featuring the Nutrition Education Program 2019 recipe calendar, called First Friday Feast. On the first Friday of each month, participants cook the recipe of the month as a group. The agent and program assistant also choose a lesson to go along with recipe. In the past six months, the group has covered topics such as reducing sugar-sweetened beverages, food safety, ways to be more active, reading nutrition label
Author: Valerie Holland
Major Program: Making Healthy Lifestyle Choices (general)
Despite a 2% decline in Jefferson County’s food insecurity rate over the last 5 years, local and national sources still identify high food insecurity issues in west Louisville. This national data shows a direct correlation between food insecurity and diet-related diseases such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease and obesity. These same diseases afflict the residents of west Louisville area of Jefferson County. In west Louisville, 37% of the residents report having high blood pressure, 7
Author: LaToya Drake
Major Program: Making Healthy Lifestyle Choices (general)
LaToya Drake, Barren County Extension Agent for Family and Consumer Sciences was a new face to Extension but not to the County. The Agent was born and raised in Barren County and spent much of her career serving her home community in other roles. Despite being familiar with the County and various resources, the Agent’s exposure to Extension was limited before becoming employed with the Cooperative Service in September of 2018. “As someone who grew up with less financial resource
