Extension
It Starts With Us
Healthy Henry
Making Healthy Lifestyle Choices
Cathy Toole, Krista Perry, Megan McCoun
Active Living and Health Promotions General
Community Health Needs Assessment
Leadership
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 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.
Healthy living is one of three 4-H mission mandates. Components of Kentucky 4-H Health Core Curriculum include: physical activity, substance abuse, bullying, safety, and character education. Moderate physical activity can reduce the risk of developing heart disease, diabetes,colon cancer, stress and high blood pressure.Early substance use in childhood/adolescence affects later drug use (National Healthy Living Task Force). Almost 30% of youth in the United States (or over 5.7 million) are estimated to be involved in bullying as either a bully, a target of bullying, or both (http://www.safeyouth.org/scripts/faq/bullying.asp).
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 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 number of youth maintaining positive health habits;
Increase 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
Youth will develop into competent, capable, contributing adults as important developmental assets are met through their participation in 4-H Health programs.
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.
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.
Increased adoption and mastery of healthy behaviors that lead to a healthy lifestyle that include making healthy lifestyle choices, not engaging in risky behavior and handling stress.
Making healthier lifestyle choices.
Practice and promotion of daily physical activity.
Youth will identify healthy lifestyle choices
Youth will understand risky behaviors and their consequences
Youth will aspire to have higher self esteem
Youth will identify healthy ways to handle stress
Long-term Outcome: Improved Community Health
Indicator: Health Reports
Method: Health Department Figures
Timeline: On going
Intermediate Outcome: 30 individuals will implement preventative health practices
Indicator: practice physical activity and decrease time on sedentary behavior
Method: Questionnaire and personal testimony
Timeline: July-December 2022
Initial Outcome: Youth will adopt healthier lifestyles.
Indicator: Attendance Records, instructor observation and discussions,
Method: Survey and Personal Observation
Timeline: October - May 2023
Audience: Senior Citizens
Project or Activity:Living Well
Content or Curriculum: Making Healthy Lifestyle Choices
Inputs: Lessons/Handouts/presentation/promotion
Date: July-December 2022
Audience: Homemakers
Project or Activity: Leader Training
Content or Curriculum: Exercise Anytime
Inputs: Promotion/Evaluation
Date: March-May 2023
Audience: Youth
Project or Activity: Get Fit
Content or Curriculum: Spark
Inputs: Promotion/Evaluation
Date: January-February 2023
Audience; 4-H members (4-5th grade)
Project or Activity: Jump into Food and Fitness
Content or Curriculum: UK approved
Inputs:teach activities in the beginning and advanced cooking clubs that meet monthly
Date: April 2023
Audience: 4-H members
Project or Activity: Beginning and Advanced cooking clubs
Content or Curriculum: 4-H Cooking Curriculum
Inputs: teach proper cooking terms, how to read recipes, manners, setting table properly. Nutrition value of food. Healthy activities.
Date: October- May 2023
Author: Krista Perry
Major Program: Food Preparation and Preservation
During the pandemic, families in Henry and surrounding counties raised larger gardens to preserve more food, while others decided they needed to learn how to raise a garden to preserve food. Following the pandemic, this led to the Henry County Extension Agent for Family and Consumer Sciences receiving numerous email messages and phone calls weekly about gardening and food preservation, creating the need to host a program on preserving food. With such a large interest in food pr
