Extension
It Starts With Us
Encouraging the Adoption of Healthy Lifestyles and Health Maintenance
Making Healthy Lifestyle Choices
Adkins, O'Bryan, Sigmon, Whitson, Williams
4-H Leadership Core Curriculum
Making Healthy Lifestyle Choices (general)
Fit Blue/Get Moving KY
4-H Communications and Expressive Arts Core Curriculum
The obesity epidemic threatens the quality and years of life of Kentuckians. The obesity rate in Kentucky increased 90 percent over the last 15 years and thirty percent of individuals in the Commonwealth report no leisure-time physical activity. These individuals are at an increased risk for many chronic health conditions, including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and some types of cancers. Increased consumption of unhealthy food, stress, and built environments that promote physical inactivity are largely responsible for the obesity epidemic. As a result, Kentuckians, including youth, 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. Besides high obesity rates, Kentucky youth are also facing high rates of substance abuse, bullying and safety concerns. Early substance use in childhood/adolescence affects later drug use (National Healthy Living Task Force). Almost 30% of youth in the United States (or over 5.7 million) are estimated to be involved in bullying as either a bully, a target of bullying, or both. (http://www.safeyouth.org/scripts/faq/bullying.asp). More persons aged 1-34 years die as a result of injuries than any other cause of death with motor vehicle crashes accounting for approximately half of those deaths (National 4-H Healthy Living Task Force). Individuals, their organizations and their societies’ effectiveness and wellbeing depend on character development (Charactercounts.org).
• A decrease in the number of obese and overweight children, youth, adults and elderly.
• Increase in the practice and promotion of physical activity and healthy eating daily.
• Improvement in the built environment to promote physical activity and healthy eating.
•Increased number of youth maintaining positive health habits Improvement in the mental health and well being of Kentuckians.
• Manage and prevent the risk, debilitation, and premature death related to diabetes, cancer, heart disease, stroke and hypertension.
•Increased number of youth at a lower risk for serious disease and illness; Increase the estimated health savings in dollars for chronic disease.
Increased number of youth at a lower risk for physical and emotional distress
Increase policies that address obesity, physical inactivity and promotion of poor nutrition.
Youth will develop into competent, capable, contributing adults as important developmental assets are met through their participation in 4-H Health programs.
• Practice healthy food choices and strengthen individuals’ ability to build healthy eating plans and patterns.
• Maintain appropriate calorie balance during each stage of life: childhood, adolescence, adulthood, pregnancy and breastfeeding and older age.
• Practice of physical activity in families and communities and decreased time spent on sedentary behaviors.
• Community members advocate for policy.
• Changes related to obesity, physical activity and healthy eating.
• Strengthen community coalitions or partnerships to address obesity, physical inactivity and chronic disease.
• Practice healthy lifestyle decision-making that strengthen individuals’ ability to cope with normal life stressors.
Increased adoption and mastery of healthy behaviors by youth that lead to a healthy lifestyle that include making healthy lifestyle choices, not engaging in risky behavior and handling stress.
Change in awareness, knowledge, opinions, skills and attitudes needed to make informed choices regarding:
• Healthy lifestyle choices
• Childhood and youth obesity
• Adult weight management
• Healthy aging
• Practice and promotion of daily physical activity
• Policies that reduce the level of obesity
• Reduction of chronic disease
Youth will identify healthy lifestyle choices
Youth will understand risky behaviors and their consequences
Youth will aspire to have higher self esteem
Youth will identify healthy ways to handle stress
Initial Outcome: Participants will gain knowledge of healthy lifestyle choices.
Indicator: Individuals, families and groups will invest time and resources in delivering the programs
Method: survey
Timeline: July - June
Intermediate Outcome: Participants will make healthier food choices and increase the amount of physical activity in their lives.
Indicator: Behavioral changes will lead to improvement in the quality of life.
Method: pre-post test evaluation
Timeline: July-June
Long-term Outcome: Community health and economy is strengthened through efforts of local leadership
Indicator: There will be a measurable decline in obesity and chronic disease among citizens in Laurel County.
Method: Number of local policy changes as a result of Extension programs
Timeline: July-June
Audience: Youth and Adults
Project or Activity: Family Health & Fitness Camps
Content or Curriculum: Cooking 101, SPARK PE, 4-H Health Curriculum
Inputs: volunteers, extension agents, community partners, school staff
Date: summer, fall
Audience: 4-H Youth
Project or Activity: 4-H Healthy Foods, Cooking and Food Preservation
Content or Curriculum: Teen Cuisine, Put it Up, Cooking 101, microwave cooking
Inputs: 4-H Agents, 4-H assistant, volunteers
Date: Summer, Fall
Audience: 4-H Youth
Project or Activity: 4-H Health Rocks Program
Content or Curriculum: 4-H Health Rocks curriculum
Inputs: 4-H agents, 4-H assistant, locals school staff
Date: August -May
Audience: Laurel Countians
Project or Activity: Community Health in Motion Coalition
Content or Curriculum: community collaboration, strategic planning
Inputs: ext. 4-H agent, LC Health Department, St. Joseph hospital, local churches, London City Police, Sentinel-Echo newspaper, LC ASAP, mental health professionals, etc.
Date: ongoing
Audience: 4-H Youth
Project or Activity: 4-H Health Day Events
Content or Curriculum: National 4-H Health materials
Inputs: Extension agents, staff, volunteers
Date: February 2019
Audience: Youth
Project or Activity: CarTeens Program
Content or Curriculum: CarTeens Program
Inputs: 4-H agents, volunteers, local agencies
Date: ongoing
Audience: Teens
Project or Activity: Next Connection Mentor Program for youth
Content or Curriculum: Inservice Training and materials
Inputs: 4-H agent, 4-H assistant, volunteers, local schools
Date: ongoing
Audience: SNAP eligible families with children
Project or Activity: EFNEP
Content or Curriculum: NEP approved materials
Inputs: program assistants
Date: ongoing
Audience: SNAP eligible clientele
Project or Activity: SNAP
Content or Curriculum: NEP approved materials
Inputs: program assistants
Date: ongoing
Audience: 4-H Youth
Project or Activity: Pre-prom Mock Accident and Trial (Substance Abuse Prevention Program)
Content or Curriculum: Truth and Consequences curriculum; ASAP, UNITE
inputs: 4-H agent, Laurel County ASAP Board, Local emergency agencies, local high schools
Date: April, May 2019
Audience: 4-H Youth
Project or Activity: 4-H Afterschool Programs
Content or Curriculum: SPARK P.E., Health Rocks
Inputs: 4-H agents, 4-H assistant, volunteers, local schools
Date: September-May
Audience: general public
Project or Activity: Holiday Cooking School
Content or Curriculum: FCS
Inputs: Area FCS Agents, program assistants, local agencies
Date: November 2019
Audience: SNAP eligible youth
Project or Activity: Backpack Club Food Program
Content or Curriculum: SNAP, 4-H Materials
Inputs: extension agent, Backpack Club, Inc., Faith based institutions, volunteers, teens
Date: August -May
Audience: general public
Project or Activity: Couch Potato Challenge
Content or Curriculum: UK Publications
Inputs: Extension, State Park, local fitness businesses
Date: Spring 2020
Audience: general public
Project or Activity: Fit blue
Content or Curriculum: Fit blue
Inputs: Extension Agent, volunteers
Date: Fall 2019
Audience: general public
Project or Activity: C.L.A.S.S. (Continuous Learning Assures a Successful Society) Cooking Programs
Content or Curriculum: FCS
Inputs: Extension Agent, program assistant, volunteers, leaders
Date: ongoing
Audience: Extension Homemakers and general public
Project or Activity: Matter of Balance
Content or Curriculum: Matter of Balance
Inputs: Extension Agent, Extension program assistants, Extension Homemakers
Date: Fall 2019
Author: Judith O'Bryan
Major Program: Making Healthy Lifestyle Choices (general)
The Center for Disease Control reports that around 48 million Americans are sickened by foodborne illnesses every year. Reports indicate that some forms of foodborne infections have increased over the last few years. Many Extension Homemaker members participate in potlucks throughout the year whether at Extension programs, churches or in community organizations. Using information in the “Sharing Meals Together: A Guide to Smarter Potlucks” Handbook, the Laurel County Family and
Author: Judith O'Bryan
Major Program: Making Healthy Lifestyle Choices (general)
In March of 2020 Kentucky declared a state of emergency because of a global pandemic and we were told to shelter at home. Due to this order traditional Extension programming had to be put on hold, but the need for research based information was greater than ever. In addition to answering phone calls and communicating through social media, the Laurel County Cooperative Extension offered 10 programs in To-Go Bags. Families were offered a different bag and topic each week. T
