Extension
It Starts With Us
Making Beneficial Lifestyle Choices
Activities Promoting Wellness, Safety, Self-care and Security.
Blankenship, Branstetter, Bell
Truth and Consequences: The Choice is Yours
Making Healthy Lifestyle Choices (Curriculum)
Making Healthy Lifestyle Choices (general)
Health 4-H Core Curriculum
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 percent 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. Minorities and individuals residing in Appalachia bear a heavier brunt of the obesity and chronic disease burden.
Kentucky Health Facts reports that 37% of Metcalfe County adults report having less than good health, overall and that 31% of Metcalfe Co. high school aged youth report that they smoke.
The prevalence of Diabetes in Metcalfe County is high, at 20%. Metcalfe Co. also has a high prevalence of hypertension (37%) and colorectal cancer (25%). Metcalfe Co. presents a higher number of annual deaths, attributed to stroke and heart disease, than the state rates.
According to American Fact Finder of the U.S. Census bureau, 18.9 % of Metcalfe Co. adults are without health insurance coverage. 20.1 % of residents ages 65 and older have annual incomes below poverty levels, 15.7 % of all families in Metcalfe Co. have income below poverty levels and 37.8 % of families with related children under 5 years of age, are living below poverty level. These numbers are even more dismal for female headed households with related children under five years of age, 68% have annual income below poverty levels. The incidence of pre-mature death is high in Metcalfe County as compared to State and Country levels.
• Individuals will practice the necessary skills, to manage weight and nutrition related disease, through dietary intervention.
• Individuals will decrease or eliminate consumption of beverages with added sugars and/or artificial sweeteners
• Individuals will increase their physical stamina.
• Individuals will check their skin regularly for signs of skin cancers/abnormalities and go to a dermatologist when they find something has changed.
• Fewer high school students in every grade, will use harmful and or illegal substances.
• Individuals will prepare home cooked meals, weekly utilizing fresh fruits and vegetables and minimally processed ingredients.
• Individuals will engage in healthy hydration practices.
• Individuals engage in regular physical activity.
• Individuals will utilize water resistant, broad spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher when engaging in activity outdoors.
• The majority of High School Freshmen who participate in Truth and Consequences, will choose not to partake of harmful and illegal substance use.
• Individuals will participate in Extension provided wellness and family meals programs, gaining increased knowledge and hands-on skill in preparing balanced meals with fresh ingredients.
• Individuals will recognize the importance of physical activity as part of a healthy lifestyle.
• High School Freshmen participating in Truth and Consequences develop a better understanding of the consequences of substance abuse (legal, health, emotional, and financial) Number of students indicating that they developed a better understanding of the risk and harm of substance abuse
Long-term Outcome: Individuals will increase their physical stamina.
Indicator: Increase in the number of individuals reporting the ability to engage in physical activity for a sustained period of time.
Method: Pre/Post written evaluation. Web-NEERS. Changes in physical activity data from the Kentucky County Healthcare Profile Data.
Timeline: 2017-2020
Long-Term Outcome: Individuals will practice the necessary skills, to manage weight and nutrition related disease, through dietary intervention.
Indicator: Increase in the number of individuals reporting healthy weight loss and lower incidence of need for insulin injection or other medication to manage blood sugar levels.
Method: Changes in diabetes incidence and obesity numbers in the Kentucky County Healthcare profile data. Evaluation data from related programs conducted.
Time-line 2017-2020
Long-Term outcome: Individuals will decrease or eliminate consumption of beverages with added sugars and/or artificial sweeteners.
Indicator: Increase in the number of individuals reporting a significant decrease or elimination of soft drinks consumed.
Method: Making healthy beverage choices and other related program evaluation and follow-up surveys.
Time-line: 2017 – 2020
Long-term outcome: Individuals will check their skin regularly for signs of skin cancers/abnormalities and go to a dermatologist when they find something has changed.
Indicator: Lower incidence of deaths from skin cancer in County health data.
Method: Sun safety and skin cancer awareness pre and post surveys and review most current County health and mortality data.
Timeline: 2017 - 2020
Long-term outcome: Fewer high school students in every grade, will use harmful and or illegal substances.
Indicator: Lower incidence of youth reporting use of illegal and harmful substances on the anonymous KYASAP youth substance abuse surveys.
Method: Review of most current KY data on adolescent substance abuse, from the U.S. DHHS office of Adolescent Health.
Timeline: 2017 - 2020
Intermediate Outcome: Individuals engage in regular physical activity.
Indicator: Number of individuals reporting participation in regular physical activity.
Method: KERS program attendance reports. Pre/Post written evaluation. Web-NEERS Reports.
Timeline: 2017-2020
Intermediate Outcome: Individuals prepare home cooked meals, weekly utilizing fresh fruits and vegetables and minimally processed ingredients.
Indicator: Number of individuals reporting preparation of home cooked meals weekly, using fresh ingredients.
Method: Program evaluations, follow-up survey info, Web-NEERS reports.
Timeline: 2017 - 2020
Intermediate outcome: Individuals will engage in healthy hydration practices.
Indicator: Number of individuals indicating consumption of adequate water intake on pre-program evaluation. Number of individuals indicating on the post program evaluation that they will increase consumption of water or other unsweetened, clear, non-caffeinated beverages and decrease or eliminate consumption of soft drinks, daily for improved health and weight.
Method: Pre and post evaluation, post program follow-up surveys.
Timeline: 2017 – 2020
Intermediate Outcome: Individuals will utilize water resistant, broad spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher, when engaging in activity outdoors.
Indicator: Number of individuals indicating that they use appropriate sun screen when engaging in outdoor activity, number of individuals that indicate that they intend to begin using spf 30 sunscreen when engaging in outdoor activity, number of individuals indicating that they use sunscreen daily as a part of their normal skincare routine.
Method: Pre-program evaluation; post-program evaluation, observation and verbal surveying.
Timeline: 2017 – 2020
Intermediate Outcome: A majority of High School Freshmen who participate in Truth and Consequences, will choose not to partake of harmful and illegal substance use.
Indicator: Number of MCHS Freshmen who report using tobacco products and other substances on pre-program evaluation will decrease after the Truth and Consequences program.
Method: Observation, Kentucky High School adolescent substance abuse data from the most recent Centers for Disease Control and Prevention High School Youth Risk Behavior Survey. Truth and consequences program evaluation data. Local adolescent substance abuse use anonymous surveys conducted by the local KY ASAP.
Timeline: annually in the spring, 2017 – 2020
Initial Outcome: Individuals will recognize the importance of physical activity as part of a healthy lifestyle.
Indicator: Number of individuals reporting understanding the importance of physical activity related to a healthy diet.
Method: Pre/Post written evaluation. Web-NEERS Reports.
Timeline: 2017 – 2020
Initial Outcome: Individuals will participate in Extension provided wellness and family meals programs, gaining increased knowledge and hands-on skill in preparing balanced meals with fresh ingredients.
Indicator: Number of participants in Extension/SNAP wellness and food preparation programs. Increase in knowledge and skill in food preparation and wellness activities, reported by participants and observed by program facilitators.
Method: Pre and post program evaluation data. Observation, verbal surveys.
Timeline: Ongoing - 2017 – 2020
Initial Outcome: Individuals will recognize the importance of physical activity as part of a healthy lifestyle.
Indicator: Participants in Extension and community partner programs with a focus on physical activity and its benefits can verbalize and record the importance of physical activity, as a part of their healthy lifestyle during program activities and on program evaluations.
Method: Observation, verbal surveys and program evaluation activities
Timeline: Ongoing - 2017 – 2020
Initial Outcome: High School Freshmen participating in Truth and Consequences develop a better understanding of the consequences of substance abuse (legal, health, emotional, and financial)
Indicator: Number of students indicating that they developed a better understanding of the risk and harm of substance abuse
Method: Pre and post program evaluations, discussions with parent and adult volunteers during the program activities and post program classroom discussion content.
Timeline: Annually in the Spring 2017 – 2020
Audience: Metcalfe County Residents
Project or Activity: Wellness, obesity prevention, physical activity programs
Content or Curriculum:
•Mind Body Exercise
•UK NEP Adult Curriculum
•USDA and other U.S Government Agency created materials
•Steps to a Healthier Teen Curriculum (youth)
•Power Panther (youth)
•We Can and other NHLBI materials
•Jump into Food and Fitness (youth)
- Teens and Stress Curriculum
Inputs: Extension Agent/SNAP-ED Program Assistant time, location/space for program, community partners such as the schools, child care, Homemakers, farmers market, library, local government, local employers, Homemakers: volunteer time/resources, SNAP food reimbursement, SNAP incentive items, grant opportunities/resources
Date: Annually, ongoing as needed and upon request
Audience: Metcalfe County Residents
Project or Activity: Programs for improved health and wellness
Content or Curriculum:
•Extension health and wellness publications;
•Making Healthy Lifestyle Choices materials
•Taking Ownership of Your Diabetes materials
•HEEL materials
•RAYS Awareness Skin Cancer prevention program from the Skin Cancer Foundation
Inputs: Extension Agent/SNAP-ED Program Assistant time, location/space for program, community partners such as the schools, farmers market, library, local government, local employers, Homemakers: volunteer time/resources, SNAP food reimbursement, SNAP incentive items, grant opportunities/resources
Date: Annually, ongoing as needed and upon request.
Audience: Individuals employed all three shifts at Sumitomo of Edmonton
Project or Activity: Worksite Wellness
Content or Curriculum: Extension health and wellness publications;
•Making Healthy Lifestyle Choices publications
- accessing Nutrtious Food publications
•Taking Ownership of Your Diabetes materials
•HEEL publications/materials
•RAYS Awareness Skin Cancer prevention program from the Skin Cancer Foundation
Inputs: Extension Agent/SNAP-ED Program Assistant time, location/space for program, community partners such as the schools, farmers market, library, local government, local employers, Homemakers: volunteer time/resources, SNAP food reimbursement, SNAP incentive items, grant opportunities/resources
Date: 9 sessions annually, ongoing as needed and upon request
Audience: Metcalfe County High School Freshmen and Volunteers
Project or Activity: Truth and Consequences the Choice is Yours for MCHS Freshmen
Content or Curriculum: Extension FCS Truth and Consequences program run by Metcalfe County Schools Community Education
Inputs: Community Education and Metcalfe Co. High School staff, KY ASAP members, Extension Agent/SNAP-ED Program Assistant time, location/space for program, community partners such as the schools, local law enforcement, local mental health agencies, local faith community, local judicial system, farmers market, library, local government, local employers, grant opportunities/resources
Date: Annually in the spring
Audience: Metcalfe County Homemakers & Residents
Project or Activity: Essential oils Homemaker Leader Training
Content or Curriculum: FCS Agent compiled, research – based materials and UK Extension publications related to this topic.
Inputs: Extension Agent, Extension office location/space for program, Homemakers: volunteer time/resources
Date: 1-25-2018
Audience: Metcalfe County Middle & High School Freshmen 8th & 9th grade Students
Project or Activity: Freshmen Health and wellness program
Content or Curriculum:
•HEEL materials
•RAYS Awareness Skin Cancer prevention program from the Skin Cancer Foundation
•Making Healthy Lifestyle Choices materials
- Teens and Stress Curriculum
•FCS Agent compiled, research based materials
Inputs: Extension Agent/SNAP-ED Program Assistant time, location/space for program, Freshmen Health teacher & MCHS, SNAP food reimbursement, SNAP incentive items, grant opportunities/resources
Date: 3 sessions annually during the school year as scheduled with the Freshmen Health teacher. 2017 – 2020.
Audience: 4-H Youth
Project or Activity: Health and Fitness Club
Content or Curriculum: 4-H Curriculum
Inputs: Agents, Volunteers, Teachers
Date: August- May
Audience: 4-H Youth 6th grade
Project or Activity: 4-H Dollars & Sense
Content or Curriculum: Dollars and Sense Curriculum
Inputs: Agents, Community Members, Staff Support and Teachers
Date: November 2017
Audience: 4-H Youth 7th and 8th grade
Project or Activity: Reality Store
Content or Curriculum: 4-H Reality Store Curriculum
Inputs: Agents, Community Members, Staff Support and Teachers
Date: Fall 2017
Audience: 4-H Youth 5th grade
Project or Activity: Mini Society
Content or Curriculum: 4-H Mini Society Curriculum
Inputs: Agents, Staff Support and Teachers
Date: Fall 2017
Author: Lynn Blankenship
Major Program: Kentucky Extension Homemaker Association
Over the past ten years the use and availability of essential oils for health and beauty purposes has grown significantly. This is evidenced by the presence of two large national, multi-level marketing essential oil companies with many sales representatives present across our state and the widespread availability of several brands and types of essential oils, in large chain pharmacy and department stores. As an Extension agent for Family and Consumer Sciences education and a person with man
Author: Amy Branstetter
Major Program: 4-H Youth Development Programming
4-H Summer Camp provides the opportunity for youth to experience and excel in many activities. For many of the youth, it’s the first time for them to be away from home for a week. During this time, they learn to be independent and to make wise decisions. They learn to communicate with others, make new friends, and work as a team member. Leadership skills are developed, as well as an appreciation for nature and the outdoors. The Metcalfe County Extension Agent for 4-H Youth Development
