Making Healthy Lifestyle Choices (FCS/HORT)Plan of Work

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Boone County CES

Title:
Making Healthy Lifestyle Choices (FCS/HORT)
MAP:
Promote Healthy Lifestyles
Agents Involved:
Diane Mason, David Koester
MAJOR PROGRAM 1:
Active Living and Health Promotions General
Situation:

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. The goal of the Making Healthy Lifestyle Choices Initiative is to reverse these trends by working with various organizations, agencies, and groups to promote the health and wellness in all Kentuckians.

Long-Term Outcomes:

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

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

Increase the estimated health savings in dollars for chronic disease.

Increase policies that address obesity, physical inactivity and promotion of poor nutrition

More people growing and eating their own fresh fruits and vegetables, gaining health benefits from more exercise (gardening) and from gaining easy access to healthier foods with more fiber and less fat, through fresh garden produce they grow at home.

Intermediate Outcomes:

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 implementation and 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.

Initial Outcomes:

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 that reduce the level of obesity

Reduction of chronic disease

Evaluation:

Initial Outcome: Post program surveys

Indicator: Change in knowledge or attitude and intent to implement

Method: Post program surveys

Timeline: Immediately following program


Intermediate Outcome: Post Program Surveys

Indicator: Use of information from program and change in practice or behavior

Method: Mailed or on-line survey of participants

Timeline: 3 to 6 months following program


Long-term Outcome: Change in behavior that leads to change in health

Indicator: Community indicators for health

Method: Statistics from state and national organizations

Timeline: 4 years

Learning Opportunities:

Audience: Adults, general public

Project or Activity:Food Preservation for the Adult Beginner

Content or Curriculum: University of Kentucky curriculum

Inputs: Fact Sheets, online access

Date: July 2021


Project or Activity: Friday Food Fun:  Increasing consumption of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean meats and essential nutrients

Content or Curriculum: Extension curricula; different topic each month

Inputs: Cooking supplies

Date: Monthly, July, August, September, October, November, December 2021; January, February, March, April, May, June 2022


Audience: Adults

Project or Activity: Jewels of Health: Vegetables

Content or Curriculum: Extension resources for home study program

Inputs: fact sheets, online access

Date: September - December 2021; February - May 2022 (monthly)


Audience: General public, adults; adults who prepare foods for their families

Project or Activity: Maximize the Flavor: Herbs, Spices, Salts, Peppercorns Series

Content or Curriculum: Extension materials

Inputs: Handouts, videos

Date: September - December 2021 (monthly)


Audience:  General Public adults -home study program

Project or Activity: Fabulous Fruits

Content or Curriculum: Extension resources for home study program

Inputs: fact sheets, online access

Date: August - December 2021 (monthly)





Success Stories

Encouraging and Improving Vegetable Consumption

Author: Diane Mason

Major Program: Food Preparation and Preservation

Encouraging and Improving Vegetable ConsumptionDiets high in fruits and vegetables reduce the risk of many chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes, obesity, heart disease and stroke. Roughly half of adults in the United States suffer from one or more preventable chronic diseases related to poor diet and physical inactivity. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend that adults consume two cups of fruits and two and a half cups of vegetables per day. Accor

Full Story

Exploring the Mediterranean Lifestyle

Author: Diane Mason

Major Program: Food Preparation and Preservation

According to Oldways/Mediterranean Foods Alliance (www.oldwayspt.org) the growing body of medical and scientific evidence supporting the healthfulness of the Mediterranean diet and lifestyle continues to show that following a Mediterranean lifestyle may defend against chronic diseases, lower the risk for heart disease, protect from diabetes, ward off Parkinson’s disease, and aid in weight management efforts. Raising awareness of this lifestyle and encouraging individuals to adopt heal

Full Story
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