Extension
It Starts With Us
Health & Wellness
23-24 Adopting Healthy Lifestyles
Catherine Webster, Jason Phillips, Nancy Doyle
Health
Building Healthy Coalitions
Food Preparation and Preservation
Active Living and Health Promotions General
Health and wellness are concepts that apply to physical, financial and family well-being. Kentuckians are dying from heart disease & cancer at higher rates than all Americans and they have a lower life expectancy. 71% of high school youth don’t get enough physical activity and physical activity only decreases as we age. The obesity epidemic, increased consumption of unhealthy food, stress, and lack of built environments are other factors that threaten the quality & years of life of Kentuckians. Families need assistance in gaining access to food, stretching food dollars, preparing healthy foods and building nurturing families. Communities that work together with other concerned citizens & organizations are much more likely to bring public awareness to important health issues. All of these topics were identified by the County Extension Council as program needs.
The overall well-being of families will be increased as they gain skills and abilities to provide for the nutritional, physical, and developmental needs of family members. Youth will maintain positive health habits and be competent, capable, contributing adults as a result of participating in 4-H Health programs.
Individuals, youth, and families:
• make healthy food choices & build skills related to selecting and/or preparing nutritious meals
• increase their level of physical activity and decrease their stress
• keep tract of health through timely screenings and visits to health care professionals
• the built environment (sidewalks) will be enhanced by grants, community input and the involvement of city & county governments
Initial Outcome:
Individuals, youth, and families:
• report making healthy food choices
• learn new skills in purchasing and preparing foods
• gain knowledge about their personal health status
• will take advantage of opportunities to be screened for disease
• identify ways to improve physical fitness
• understand risky behaviors and their consequences
• aspire to have higher self-esteem
• identify healthy ways to handle stress
Outcome: Participants in SNAP Ed program identify healthy food choices and learn new skills in purchasing and preparing foods.
Indicator : Family records and self-reporting
Method: SNAP materials and programs
Timeline: 2023-2024
Outcome: Families will prepare healthy meals
Indicator: Family records and self-reporting
Method: Evaluations via Email, Qualtrics
Timeline: 2023-2024
Outcome: Youth and Adults will adopt health lifestyle choices including food choices
Indicator: Youth and adults will report making healthy lifestyle choices with regards to food and health
Method: Follow up surveys
Timeline: 2023-2024
Audience: Homemaker Members
Project or Activity: Air Fryers/Electric Pressure Cookers, Foraging in KY, Savor the Flavor, Home remedies
Content or Curriculum: Extension materials
Inputs: Agent led, train-the-trainer
Date: July 2023-June 2024
Audience: 4-H Members
Project or Activity: In Person or Virtual Cooking Classes
Content:
Inputs: Community partners, staff, volunteers, 4-H & FCS foods curriculum, 4-H members, food and equipment
Date: October 2023-May 2024
Audience: Extension Homemakers
Project or Activity: Workshop to promote Health Information Card/Promote trip to local farmers Markets
Inputs: Agent led, train-the trainer for clubs, food and nutrition information
Date: July 2023 - April 2024
Audience: Families with young children
Project or Activity: Cooking with Your Kids
Content or Curriculum: Family Mealtime Curriculum
Inputs: Community Education, volunteer helpers, food and equipment, Culinary Kitchen at the High School
Date: October 2023-May 2024
Audience: Community members
Project or Activity: Food Preservation Classes
Content or Curriculum: UK curriculum, UK specialists
Inputs: Extension Agents, UK Approved recipes,
Date: 2023-2024
Audience: Snap recipients or candidates
Project or Activity: Nutrition Education
Content or Curriculum: Snap-Ed curriculum, LEAP, Plate it Up, Eat Plan Move
Inputs: Extension Agents, School District
Date: 2023-2024
Audience: 7th Grade
Project or Activity: STOP
Content or Curriculum: STOP Scenarios
Inputs: Extension Agents, School District, Local Law Enforcement Agencies & Child Service Advocates
Date: December 2023
Audience: 6th Grade
Project or Activity: Health Rocks including the Youth Health Fair
Content or Curriculum: Health Rocks
Inputs: Extension Agents, School District, County Health Coalition
Date: November 2023-April 2024
Audience: General public
Project or Activity: Cook Wild and Wild Game Video Series
Content or Curriculum: Cook Wild recipes from UK
Inputs: UK approved recipes, Extension Agents, paid staff
Date: August 2023 - July 2024
Audience: 4th Grade
Project or Activity: Environmental Field Day
Content or Curriculum: 4th Grade KY Science Core Content
Inputs: Extension Agents, Community Park, KDA, Local Businesses/Organizations, Simpson Co. Farm Bureau Federation, School District
Date: April 2024
Author: Nancy Doyle
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
Kentuckians are dying from heart disease and cancer at higher rates than all Americans and they have a lower life expectancy. The obesity epidemic, increased consumption of unhealthy food, stress, and lack of built environments are other factors that threaten the quality and years of life of Kentuckians. The educational program responseIn an effort to increase the well-being of families and increase their abilities to make healthy food choices by preparing meals at home, the Simpson
Author: Nancy Doyle
Major Program: LEAP
In the Mammoth Cave Area, the incidence rates for adult and youth overweight and obesity, are above the national average. Studies have shown that youth and adults are more likely to try healthy foods when presented with a fun, participatory group activity like the LEAP program. Literacy Eating and Activity for Youth is offered by Family and Consumer Sciences Extension Agents, in 7 Mammoth Cave Area Counties including Barren, Hart, Logan, Metcalfe, Monroe, Simpson and Warren.During th
Author: Nancy Doyle
Major Program: Food Preparation and Preservation
With prices of groceries ever increasing and concern over the economy, there has been an interest in learning to can and preserve food so that participants may be self-sufficient with a deeper connection to local food sources. Four Food Preservation Workshops were offered to teach safe canning, freezing, and dehydrating methods by providing hands-on workshops, fact sheets and research-based recipes. Eleven participants total, 3 adults and 8 youth attended two workshops to properly pr
Author: Nancy Doyle
Major Program: Food Preparation and Preservation
Based on schools being out for the summer and more children being left at home alone or with limited supervision, it was discovered there was a need to increase the knowledge of these youth of safe practices at home. The Simpson County Extension Office partnered with the Simpson County Ag Advisory Council and the Family Resource Service Center to plan a 4th and 5th Grade Safety Day. Students were rotated through seven stations to learn about Animal Safety, Internet Safety, Kitchen Sa
Author: Nancy Doyle
Major Program: Family Development General
According to a recent survey by YouScience 75% graduates reported they felt “moderately, slightly, or not at all prepared” for what might come next after high school. To help better prepare our local students, the Family Resource and Service Center along with the Simpson County Extension FCS Agent, 4-H agent, and two KSU agents along with volunteers from the community hosted an Adulting 101 day for the graduating seniors. 186 Students rotated through six rotations
