Extension
It Starts With Us
Making proactive choices for a healthier life
Healthy individuals
C. Durr, C. Hall, V. Holland, A. Holt, S. Lewis, W. Long, B. Pratt, M. Pearce and K. Smith
Local Food Systems
Making Healthy Lifestyle Choices (general)
Local Food System Development and Mapping
4-H Youth Development Programming
According to the 2014 Louisville Metro Health Equity Report, Jefferson County residents are experiencing chronic diseases at a higher rate than the national average. 29% of Louisville residents live in neighborhoods that experience higher death rates due to stroke compared to the US rate (41.9%). If interventions can bring these neighborhoods down to the national level, we would be able to save 33 people every year. Louisville is experiencing heart disease-related deaths at a higher level (212.4%) than the national average (194%). In fact, if we could bring these neighborhoods down to the national rate, we could save 155 people every year.
Poverty is one of the strongest social determinants of health. Louisville has a slightly higher proportion of adults in poverty (13.3%) compared to the national rate (12.4%). In Louisville, 24% of children live in poverty compared to the national average (20%) and Kentucky (25.1%).
The obesity epidemic threatens the quality and years of life of Kentuckians. Obese individuals are at increased risk for many chronic health conditions, including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and some types of cancers. The obesity rate in Kentucky increased 90% over the last 15 years. 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.
• 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.
• Manage and prevent the risk, debilitation, and premature death related to diabetes, cancer, heart disease, stroke and hypertension.
• Increased adoption and mastery of healthy behaviors that lead to a healthy lifestyle that include making healthy lifestyle choices.
• Practice healthy food choices, physical activity, and strengthen individuals’ ability to build healthy eating plans and patterns.
• Strengthen community coalitions or partnerships to address obesity, physical inactivity and chronic disease.
• Youth and adults will learn the importance of healthy lifestyle choices.
• Youth and adults understand the benefits of making proactive healthy choices.
• Youth and adults will gain an understanding in healthy lifestyles and the necessary skills for a healthy lifestyle.
Initial Outcome: Strengthen community coalitions or partnerships to address obesity, physical inactivity and chronic disease.
Indicator: Increase in coalitions and partnerships
Method: Extension records and observation
Timeline: After programs and coalition building
Intermediate Outcome: Youth and adults understand the benefits of making proactive healthy choices.
Indicator: Reported understanding of benefits
Method: Pre- and post-surveys
Timeline: Before and after programs
Long-term Outcome: Increase in the practice and promotion of physical activity and healthy eating daily.
Indicator: Reported increase in physical activity and healthy eating
Method: Pre- and post-surveys
Timeline: Before and after programs
Audience: Home & Commercial Producers
Project or Activity: Certification & training
Content or Curriculum: GAP training manual, Farmers Market Sampling
Certificate
Inputs: Agent, curriculum, classroom, garden site(s)
Date: July 1, 2017 – June 30, 2018
Audience: Youth & Adults
Project or Activity: Community Garden implementation; school garden
Content or Curriculum: Master Gardener; Extension publications
Inputs: Master Gardener volunteers; specialists; content
curriculum
Date: July 1, 2017 – June 30, 2018
Audience: Youth & Adults
Project or Activity: Food Demonstration, Nutrition Education, Food
Preservation
Content or Curriculum: Making Healthy Lifestyle Choices, Plate It Up
Inputs: CES Staff, CES Agents, Specialists, CES publications,
community partners
Date: July 1, 2017 – June 30, 2018
Audience: Youth
Project or Activity: Reality Store
Content or Curriculum: Health Rocks, Exploring the Treasures of 4-H, My
Financial Future, Step Up to Leadership, Moneywise,
MITT, STEPS to a Healthy Teen
Inputs: Paid staff, volunteers, facilities, outside funding
Date: September 2017 – April 2018
Audience: Youth
Project or Activity: Dollars & Sense
Content or Curriculum: Health Rocks, Exploring the Treasures of 4-H, My
Financial Future, Step Up to Leadership, Moneywise,
MITT, STEPS to a Healthy Teen
Inputs: Paid staff, volunteers, facilities, outside funding
Date: September 2017 – April 2018
Audience: Youth
Project or Activity: Jr. MANRRS
Content or Curriculum: Health Rocks, Exploring the Treasures of 4-H, My
Financial Future, Step Up to Leadership, Moneywise,
MITT, STEPS to a Healthy Teen
Inputs: Paid staff, volunteers, facilities, outside funding
Date: September 2017 – April 2018
Audience: Youth
Project or Activity: Wondergirls
Content or Curriculum: Health Rocks, Exploring the Treasures of 4-H,
My Financial Future, Step Up to Leadership,Moneywise,
MITT, STEPS to a Healthy Teen
Inputs: Paid staff, volunteers, facilities, outside funding
Date: September 2017 – April 2018
Audience: Youth
Project or Activity: In-School Club
Content or Curriculum: Health Rocks, Exploring the Treasures of 4-H,
My Financial Future, Step Up to Leadership,
Moneywise, MITT, STEPS to a Healthy Teen
Inputs: Paid staff, volunteers, facilities, outside funding
Date: September 2017 – April 2018
Audience: Youth
Project or Activity: SPIN Clubs
Content or Curriculum: Health Rocks, Exploring the Treasures of 4-H,
My Financial Future, Step Up to Leadership,
Moneywise, MITT, STEPS to a Healthy Teen
Inputs: Paid staff, volunteers, facilities, outside funding
Date: September 2017 – April 2018
Audience: General Public
Project or Activity: Weight Management, Food Demonstrations, and
Nutrition Education
Content or Curriculum: Making Healthy Lifestyle Choices, Weight the
Reality Series
Inputs: Kentucky CES publications and resources
Date: July 1, 2017 – June 30, 2018
Audience: Extension Homemakers
Project or Activity: Economical Food Entrees
Content or Curriculum: Kentucky Extension Homemakers Association (KEHA)
Inputs: Kentucky CES publication and resources
Date: September 2017 – May 2018
Audience: General Public
Project or Activity: Cooking Matters
Content or Curriculum: Making Healthy Lifestyle Choices
Inputs: Kentucky CES publication and resources and My Plate
Date: July 2017 – June 2018
Author: Chanda Hall
Major Program: 4-H Family and Consumer Science Core Curriculum
In Jefferson County, there are limited occasions for inner-city youth to participate in hands-on cooking programs. Improving cooking skills and knowledge of foods helps to promote healthy eating habits. According to Thomas & Irwin, food and cooking skills/food preparation are important for several reasons related to health, knowledge, empowerment, engagement, culture, food security, and fun. An engaging cooking skills program targeting youth builds self-efficacy, food knowledge a
Author: Louis "Jenie" Carter
Major Program: National Dining with Diabetes
During the COVID-19 Pandemic, I gained first hand knowledge about being a caregiver. I was thrust into a whole new world, with my 87 year old Mother. My mother had some underlying health conditions: diabetes, COPD and hypertension and became ill and was hospitalized with pancreatitis. She had a 14 day stay in the hospital. It was very hard due to the pandemic I could not visit her while she was there. Along with the other conditions she had tested positive for the Corona
Author: Valerie Holland
Major Program: Making Healthy Lifestyle Choices (general)
Statistics continue to show the West Louisville population consumes too much fat, salt, and sugar and too little high fiber fruits, vegetables and whole grains. For this population to maintain optimal health, they must have healthy diets. To assist in this need, the Jefferson County Extension Service collaborated with Dare to Care to provide the nutrition portion of the Cooking Matters program at four of their West Louisville sites. The Family & Consumer Sciences agent presented three progra
Author: Valerie Holland
Major Program: Making Healthy Lifestyle Choices (general)
Jefferson County Family and Consumer Sciences Extension Agent collaborated with KEHA leaders to offer the Healthy Homemakers series to a total of 40 participants. 90 percent of participants identified terms related to diabetes. 93 percent of participants examined the different types of diabetes. 93 percent of participants discussed the various ways to manage diabetes and went for a 10-minute walk. A follow-up evaluation revealed that 75 percent of participants have taken steps to minimize risk o
