Improving Nutrition and Healthy LifestylesPlan of Work

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Woodford County CES

Title:
Improving Nutrition and Healthy Lifestyles
MAP:
Health and Wellness
Agents Involved:
Elizabeth Coots, Ryan Farley, Faye Kuosman, Adam Probst
MAJOR PROGRAM 1:
Active Living and Health Promotions General
MAJOR PROGRAM 2:
Substance Use Prevention and Recovery General
MAJOR PROGRAM 3:
Health
MAJOR PROGRAM 4:
Family and Consumer Science
Situation:

Local stakeholders have listed healthy lifestyles as an issue facing Woodford County today. It is important to address the issues of overall well-being of individuals and families throughout the county. According to the Community and Economic Development Initiative of Kentucky, approximately 32% of Woodford County adults are classified as obese. In addition, approximately 11% of adults suffer from diabetes. Other lifestyle challenges facing Woodford County include cardiovascular disease, breast and prostate cancer. Within all of these areas of focus, financial stability arises as access to health care is an added area of concern.

Long-Term Outcomes:

Consumption of nutritious foods and healthier cooking practices will be increased. Rates of youth and adult obesity will decrease. Participation in life skills workshops such as cooking and food preservation will increase.

Intermediate Outcomes:

Farmer's Market and local food purchases will increase, as well as the intake of fresh fruits and vegetables. Clientele will increase their currrent level of physical activity.

Initial Outcomes:

Clientele will identify the benefits of buying local, seasonal foods and will develop skills for healthier food selection, cooking and preservation. Clientele will also be able to explain why physical activity is important to their daily life.

Evaluation:

Long-Term Outcome: Consumption of nutritious foods and healthier cooking practices will be increased. Rates of youth and adult obesity will decrease. Participation in life skills workshops such as cooking and food preservation will increase.

Indicator: Reduced rates of youth and adult obesity in Woodford County

Method: Data review from Foundation for a Healthy KY, Woodford Co Health Department

Timeline: Annually


Intermediate Outcome: Farmer's Market and local food purchases will increase, as well as the intake of fresh fruits and vegetables. Clientele will increase their currrent level of physical activity.

Indicator: Sales data from Woodford County Farmer's Market

Method: Collection of data from vendors, market review summary from Market Manager

Timeline: Annually


Initial Outcome: Clientele will identify the benefits of buying local, seasonal foods and will develop skills for healthier food selection, cooking and preservation. Clientele will also be able to explain why physical activity is important to their daily life.

Indicator: Workshop participation and participant feedback

Method: Post workshop interviews with participants, written evaluations

Timeline: Monthly

Learning Opportunities:

Project or Activity: Hands-on and virtual cooking workshops

Content or Curriculum: Cook Together, Eat Together

Inputs: Agent/Program Assistant Time, Health Department, Schools, Public Library

Date: Fall


Audience: 5th grade youth

Project or Activity: Hands-on and virtual cooking program

Content or Curriculum: Recipes for Life

Inputs: Agent/Program Assistant Time, Schools, SNAP-Ed, Family Resource Centers

Date: Fall


Audience: Community Residents

Project or Activity: Canning Workshops

Content or Curriculum: Food Preservation Curriculum

Inputs: Agent/Program Assistant/Intern Time, CES Publications, Commercial Kitchen, NCHFP Resources

Date: Summer


Audience: Residents Age 55+

Project or Activity: Bingocize

Content or Curriculum: WKU Bingocize Curriculum

Inputs: Agent Time, Senior Citizens Centers/Homes

Date: Fall



Audience: 8th and 10th grade students

Project or Activity: Truth & Consequences: The Choice is Yours

Content or Curriculum: Truth & Consequences: The Choice is Yours Curriculum

Inputs: Agent/Program Assistant Time, Volunteers, Community Sponsors, School Sponsors


Audience: Middle School Students

Project or Activity: Botvin Life Skills

Content or Curriculum: Botvin Life Skills Curriculum

Inputs: Agent/Program Assistant Time, Community Agencies, Middle School Guidance Counselors


Audience: Woodford County Residents

Audience: Farmer's Market Promotion events and articles

Content: per agent, UK materials

Inputs: County Office Staff and Agents

Date: spring, summer, fall, annually


Audience: 4-H Youth

Project or Activity: 4-H Cooking Club/Culinary Challenge

Content or Curriculum: Cooking curriculum

Inputs: Agent/Program Assistant Time, Materials

Date: September - Fall



Success Stories

Cooking through the Calendar Goes Virtual

Author: M. Elizabeth Coots

Major Program: Food Preparation and Preservation

About a third (31%, 2019) of Woodford County residents are obese according to County Health Rankings and Roadmaps. Cooking at home may be one strategy that people may implement to encourage weight loss and healthy eating. People who frequently cook meals at home eat healthier and consume fewer calories than those who cook less, according to the John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health research.  Before COVID, these cooking demonstrations were he

Full Story

All About Charcuterie Boards

Author: M. Elizabeth Coots

Major Program: Food Preparation and Preservation

Using Charcuterie Boards as a type of food service has seen a rise in interest and popular culture. Although this method of food service has been around for many years, the current trend has switched it up to be all in compassing of different types of foods and different types of serving vessels. Always wanting to be current and informative, the Fort Harrod Area Family and Consumer Sciences Extension Agents hosted a combination virtual and in-person, multi-site Charcuterie Boards Program to addr

Full Story

4-H Yoga for Kids Partnership with Woodford County High School Yoga Co-Op

Author: Ryan Farley

Major Program: Health

Providing opportunities for youth to develop healthy lifestyle habits is a major focus of both Kentucky 4-H and Woodford County Schools. Finding a way to reach students across the county in an engaging and interactive manner can be a challenge. One 4-H Curriculum available to help achieve this goal is the 4-H Yoga for Kids curriculum, which provides kids-oriented yoga lessons and poses in a fun and engaging manner. To address this issue, Woodford County 4-H has partnered with the Woodford County

Full Story

Farm Fresh Fridays at Woodford County Schools

Author: Ryan Farley

Major Program: Health

U.S. childhood obesity has tripled since 1980, with 9.5% of infants and toddlers and 16.9% of children ages 2 to 19 considered obese (Ogden, Carroll, Curtin, Lamb, & Flegal, 2010). Research shows that early childhood is the ideal time to establish a taste for healthy foods and a desire to try new things in order to encourage life-long, healthy habits. With childhood obesity a growing national issue, the 4-H, Family and Consumer Sciences, and Horticulture Agents conducted a 4-month farm to sc

Full Story

Woodford County Recipe Club by Mail

Author: M. Elizabeth Coots

Major Program: Food Preparation and Preservation

Woodford County Recipe Club by Mail

Research is clear that a diet rich in fruits and vegetables can help protect against several chronic diseases, such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and some cancers. Nationwide, it is estimated that only 12.2% of adult meet the recommended amount of fruits each day and only 9.3% meet recommendations for vegetables (CDC, 2018). Kentucky falls even further below the national averages with only 8.0% of adults meeting daily recommendations for fruits and 6.3% meeting

Full Story

Farm Fresh Friday

Author: Faye Kuosman

Major Program: Local Food Systems

U.S. childhood obesity has tripled since 1980, with 9.5% of infants and toddlers and 16.9% of children ages 2 to 19 considered obese (Ogden, Carroll, Curtin, Lamb, & Flegal, 2010). Research shows that early childhood is the ideal time to establish a taste for healthy foods and a desire to try new things in order to encourage life-long, healthy habits. Research also clearly shows that a diet rich in fruits and vegetables can help protect against several chronic diseases, such as obesity,

Full Story

Farm Fresh Fridays

Author: M. Elizabeth Coots

Major Program: Local Food Systems

U.S. childhood obesity has tripled since 1980, with 9.5% of infants and toddlers and 16.9% of children ages 2 to 19 considered obese (Ogden, Carroll, Curtin, Lamb, & Flegal, 2010). Research shows that early childhood is the ideal time to establish a taste for healthy foods and a desire to try new things in order to encourage life-long, healthy habits. Research also clearly shows that a diet rich in fruits and vegetables can help protect against several chronic diseases, such as obesity,

Full Story
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