4-H Health
Promote Healthy Lifestyles
Steve Conrad, Christy Eastwood
Family and Consumer Science
Substance Use Prevention and Recovery General
Healthy living is one of three 4-H mission mandates and encompasses: physical activity, personal safety, mental health, addiction prevention, and diversity and inclusion. In Kentucky 37% of youth 10-17 are overweight or obese, and 51% report not exercising regularly. 25% of youth report some form of emotional or behavioral condition and suicide rates are at record high (KY suicides per 100,000 people: 15.3, 10th highest in nation). Substance Use Disorder and Mental Health disease can affect anyone, with 1,160 reported opioid-involved deaths (a rate of 27.9 deaths per 100,000 persons) in Kentucky and Vaping nearly doubled among middle and high school students — with 27% of high school seniors reporting they had tried the product in 2018.
- Reduced fatalities
- Increased number of youth maintaining positive health habits;
- Increased number of youth at a lower risk for serious disease and illness;
- Increased number of youth at a lower risk for physical and emotional distress
- Reduce the number of youth reporting drug, alcohol, and tobacco use
- Increased adoption and mastery of healthy behaviors that lead to a healthy lifestyle
- Improved access and utilization of resources
- Improved perceived stress and ability to cope
- Youth will contribute to their communities
- Youth will practice refusal skills
- Youth will intervene to prevent use/abuse
- Improved in awareness of health concerns for youth
- Improved education about diversity and Inclusion
- Improved understanding of the consequences of risk behaviors
- Promote optimal physical, social and emotional health habits
Oral or Common Measures Universal Survey at conclusion of learning activity
- Number of youth who indicated they learned about healthy food choices through 4-H
- Number of youth who were educated on health and well-being through 4-H programs? (KOSA)
- Number of youth who indicated they made healthy lifestyle choices as are result of what they learned through 4-H programming? (PRACTICE)
- Number of youth who indicated they increased their daily number of servings of fruits and vegetables eaten as a result of 4-H programs? (PRACTICE) Number of youth who indicated “yes or usually” to the Common Measures Experience Survey Question #6 “Is 4-H A place where you get to figure out things for yourself?” (SEEC)
- Number of youth who indicated “yes or usually” to the Common Measures Experience Survey Question #13 “Is 4-H a place where you have a chance to be a leader?” (SEEC)
- Eating Healthy
- 4-H Foods/SNAP material, myPlate
- Nutrition Education with Preschool Students (March 2021)
- Nutrition Education with Kindergarten Students (Jan. 2021)
- Addiction Prevention
- Curriculum: Health Rocks!, Truth & Consequences
- Truth or Consequences Event (March/April 2021)
Author: Christy Eastwood
Major Program: Health
The Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior recently published the results of a 10-year longitudinal study conducted by researchers at the University of Minnesota’s School of Public Health. The aim of the study, which tracked more than 1, 100 participants, was to answer a simple question: Can knowing how to cook as a young person lead to healthier eating practices in adulthood? The researchers arrived at a compelling—if unsurprising—conclusion: It can.During the global pand