Extension
It Starts With Us
Improving the Health and Quality of Life for all Taylor County Citizens
Social and Physical Well Being of Individuals and Families
Audrey Myers, Amanda Sublett, Pat Hardesty, Kara Back
Accessing Nutritious Foods (general)
Making Healthy Lifestyle Choices (general)
Promoting Healthy Homes and Communities (general)
Youth Fruit & Vegetable Access
The obesity epidemic threatens the quality and years of life of Taylor County citizens as well as Kentuckians. Obese individuals are at increased risk for many chronic health conditions, including type-2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and some types of cancers. According to the CDC’s County Diabetes Atlas, 13.3% of adults in Taylor County have been diagnosed with diabetes, 36.6% of adults 18 years and over are obese and 34.5% of adults reported no leisure time exercise in the past month.
Increased consumption of unhealthy food, stress, and built environments that promote physical inactivity are largely responsible for the obesity epidemic. While there have been many positive changes in the community, there is still a need to do more.
Taylor Countians have a life expectancy of 73.4 years, compared to 76.3 years for Americans. Minorities and individuals residing in Appalachia bear a heavier brunt of the obesity and chronic disease burden.
• Taylor County will decrease in the number of obese and overweight children, youth, adults and elderly.
• Taylor County will increase in the practice and promotion of physical activity and healthy eating daily.
• Taylor County will improve in the built environment to promote physical activity and healthy eating.
• Taylor County will improve in the mental health and well-being of all our citizens.
• Taylor County will manage and prevent the risk, debilitation, and premature death related to diabetes, cancer, heart disease, stroke and hypertension.
• Taylor County will increase the estimated health savings in dollars for chronic disease.
• Taylor County will increase policies that address obesity, physical inactivity and promotion of poor nutrition.
• Taylor County citizens will practice healthy food choices and strengthen individuals’ ability to build healthy eating plans and patterns.
• Taylor County citizens will maintain appropriate calorie balance during each stage of life: childhood, adolescence, adulthood, pregnancy, breastfeeding and older age.
• Taylor County citizens will practice physical activity in families and communities and decrease time spent on sedentary behaviors.
• Community members will advocate for policy.
• Taylor County citizens will practice changes related to obesity, physical activity and healthy eating.
• Taylor County will strengthen community coalitions and/or partnerships to address obesity, physical inactivity and chronic disease.
• Taylor County citizens will practice healthy lifestyle decision-making that strengthen individual’s ability to cope with normal life stressors.
• 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
Outcome: (Initial Term) Adult weight management
Indicator: Of the total number of families/caregivers reached with information on accessing healthy foods the number of families/caregivers reached that gained knowledge about eating more healthy foods.
Method: Featured Program Questions, Questionnaire on healthy eating habits; Pre and Post evaluation exercises
Timeline: July-June; Beginning and end of program
Outcome: (Intermediate) Taylor County will strengthen community coalitions and/or partnerships to address obesity, physical inactivity and chronic disease.
Indicator: Number of ongoing coalitions with which Extension is involved.
Method: Online survey, # of physical activity opportunities; # of people in attendance
Timeline: July-June, Evaluations throughout the year
Outcome: (Long-Term) Taylor County will increase in the practice and promotion of physical activity and healthy eating daily.
Indicator: Of the total number of families/caregivers reached with information on the importance of a physically active lifestyle the number of families/caregivers reached that reported spending time in physical activity.
Method: Featured Program Questions; Online survey; pre and post evaluation
Timeline: Beginning and end of program
County Agents, individuals and families, low-income individuals, policy makers, current and potential program users, key stakeholders, health professionals, child care providers, minority groups, faith-based organizations, KEHA, schools, professional organizations, service agencies, businesses, community coalitions and organizations, and government.
Learning Opportunities:
Activity: Weight Loss Management Classes
Content or Curriculum: Weight the Reality Series, Making Healthy Lifestyle Choices Curriculum
Date: January 2018, 2019, 2020
Activity: Quick, Healthy Dinners on a Dime
Content or Curriculum: FCS Publications
Date: October 2017
Activity: Making Healthy Lifestyle Choices
Content or Curriculum: Making Healthy Lifestyle Choices
Date: September, October 2017
Activity: Home Energy Use
Content or Curriculum: FCS publications
Date: January, February and March 2018
Activity: Truth and Consequences
Content or Curriculum: Truth and Consequences: The Choice is Yours
Date: March 2018, 2019, 2020
Activity: Literacy, Eating, Activity for Primary Youth Health (LEAP)
Content or Curriculum: LEAP Curriculum
Date: September-April 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020
Activity: Trail Town
Content or Curriculum: Trail Design Curriculum
Date: July-June 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020
Activity: Food Preservation Workshop
Content or Curriculum: Food Preservation Curriculum and Publications
Date: May-July 2018, 2019, 2020
Activity: Plate It Up Kentucky Proud
Content or Curriculum: Plate It Up Kentucky Proud
Date: July-June 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020
Activity: Kentucky 4-H Health Day
Content or Curriculum: 4-H Health Curriculum, JIFF
Date: February 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020
Inputs:
CES agents, specialists, volunteers, KY CES publications and resources, eXension resources, Health Education through Extension Leadership, Local, state and federal health agencies, USDA, public and private health organizations, registered dietitians, medical professionals, chronic disease advocacy organizations, Kentucky Diabetes Network, Non-profit agencies, KEHA, Community and faith-based organizations
Author: Kara Back-Campbell
Major Program: Farmer's Markets
The Taylor County Farmers' Market reached out to the horticulture agent when she first arrived at Taylor County last October. They requested that she help them increase the number of people who purchased from the market as well as the number of vendors. She had been told that several years ago the market had a health fair and many people took part in it. Promoting healthy eating habits and lifestyles is very important to individuals and a community as a whole, so the hort
Author: Audrey Myers
Major Program: Youth Fruit & Vegetable Access
According to the 2012 Kentucky Parent Survey, about 1 in 7 parents (14%) said their child got enough fruits and vegetables on 5 or 6 days during the week. A new KIDS COUNT Data Snapshot finds that about two-thirds (64 percent) of Kentucky children are not meeting an important benchmark: reading at grade level at the start of fourth grade. In addition, Kentucky is one of only 12 states where the reading proficiency gap between students from higher- and lower-income families widened by more than 3
Author: Audrey Myers
Major Program: Plate It Up! Kentucky Proud
30% to 35% of Kentucky adults are considered obese (CDC Adult Obesity Prevalence Map of 2015) and according to the Kentucky County Healthcare Profiles adults in Taylor County have an obesity rate of 32.9%. Only 4 in 10 Kentucky adults report excellent or a very good diet and 39% of Kentucky adults do not meet either the fruit or vegetable recommendations.The Taylor County Extension Council revealed that direct education in grocery stores utilizing Plate it Up Kentucky Proud was an avenue for imp
Author: Audrey Myers
Major Program: Weight the Reality Series
Kentucky adults bear a significant burden due to the state prevalence of obesity and associated diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, arthritis, depression, and cancer. Obesity and overweight among Kentucky adults reduces the quality of life for individuals, families, and communities. Weight ~ The Reality Series is an evidence-based UK-CES curriculum introduced in 2004. This series has helped thousands of Kentucky adults learn to successfully manage body weight, and improve their he
Author: Audrey Myers
Major Program: Economic Development
In our community of Campbellsville we have a number of very talented artists, makers & musicians. We also want to grow our farmers market to promote local foods and farmers throughout our county and central Kentucky. As a Family and Consumer Sciences Agent, one of my tasks is to provide programs that improve community and economic development. The FCS Extension Agent collaborated with the Campbellsville Main Street Association to bring a new market to Campbellsville called Court & Main M
Author: Patrick Hardesty
Major Program: Promoting Healthy Homes and Communities (general)
In 2017 there were 30 active shooting incidents throughout the nation. A total of 138 were killed in the shootings. An active shooter is defined by the FBI as someone actively killing or attempting to kill in a populated area.In response to the rise of active shootings, the Taylor County Cooperative Extension Service requested a representative from the University of Kentucky to evaluate the Taylor County Extension Office and discuss with the staff options to make the facility safer.An
