Whitley County CES

Title:

Active Living and Health Promotion

MAP:

Improve Physical and Mental Health

Agents Involved:

Moses (Fine Arts), Burgard (FCS), Jones (4-H), White (ANR), Prewitt (Horticulture)

MAJOR PROGRAM 1:

Active Living and Health Promotions General

MAJOR PROGRAM 2:

Health

MAJOR PROGRAM 3:

Nutrition and Food Systems General

MAJOR PROGRAM 4:

Arts and Community Health

Situation:

With the increased trend of chronic disease and obesity in Kentucky, individuals, families, and communities need tools and environments that support healthy and active lifestyle choices. Cooperative Extension thrives on reaching diverse audiences to help combat chronic disease and obesity in Kentucky communities by focusing on direct health education to increase literacy and ability to make improved lifestyle choices. According to Whitley County Data, 35.6% of Whitley Countians are obese and over 12.6% have Diabetes. Whitley county is higher than the state average for food insecurity, meaning over 17% our citizens may not know where their next meal is coming from compared to the state average of 15%.

Long-Term Outcomes:

·   Include more programming and awareness of mental health and positivity

·   Community environment promotes healthy behaviors where people live, learn, work, and play 

·   Reduce the rate of chronic disease and obesity by promoting dietary and physical activity recommendations

Intermediate Outcomes:

Intermediate Outcomes: 

·   Generate positive attitudes toward changing lifestyle choices to be more healthy 

·   Increase intake of fruits, vegetables, and other nutrient-dense foods 

·   Improve self-efficacy in physical activity, movement, and active routes to destinations 

·   Decrease tobacco/ substance use 

Initial Outcomes:

·   Increase awareness about lifestyle choices and chronic disease (e.g. tobacco use, poor nutrition, & lack of physical activity) 

·   Increase confidence in ability to employ healthy practices 

·   Improve food and nutrition-related skills (e.g. preparation techniques, safe food handling) 

·  Increase motivation to be active 

·  Increase awareness of accessible safe places for activity 

Evaluation:

Outcome:  Nutrition knowledge and dietary intake 

Indicator:  Number of individuals who reported: eating 4-6 servings of fruits and/or vegetables daily; utilize the food label to make healthy food choices; choosing smaller portions 

Method: Self-report surveys 

Timeline:  Pre-post implementing curricula or program 

  

Outcome: Physical Activity knowledge, skills, and competencies 

Indicator:  Number of individuals who reported: knowledge and skills gained about the benefits of physical activity; adoption of physical activity practices; increase in physical activity levels 

Method: Self-report survey 

Timeline:  Pre-post implementing curricula or program 

  

Outcome:  Substance Use 

Indicator:  Number of individuals who reported: gained knowledge of the resources that are available for substance use in the community as a result of Extension programming 

Method: Self-report survey 

Timeline: Pre-post implementing curricula or program 

  

Outcome: Chronic Disease Prevention 

Indicator:  Number of individuals who reported: participants who had one or more health indicators (cholesterol, blood pressure, body mass index, blood glucose) improved. 

Method: Self-report survey 

Timeline:  Pre-post implementing curricula or program 

  

Outcome:  Availability / Access to healthy lifestyle choices 

Indicator:  Number of communities, health coalitions, or organizations who reported: implemented policy, system, and/or environmental changes to promote healthy eating and active living 

Method: Self-report survey 

Timeline:  Pre-post implementing curricula or program 

Learning Opportunities:

Audience: Communities 

Project or Activity:  Policy, Systems, and Environmental Approaches 

Content or Curriculum:  Health Coalitions, Advisory Councils

Inputs: Agents, Volunteers, grant funds, faith-based organizations, community partners, key stakeholders, elected officials, Department of Transportation, Health Coalitions, Employee Health and Wellness, SNAP-Ed Toolkit 

Date: Ongoing projects throughout the year 

  

Audience: Whitley County Area Seniors

Project or Activity:  Bingocize - Increase Activity

Content or Curriculum: Bingocize curriculum

Inputs: FCS Agent

Date: July & August 2024

Audience: Families and Individuals  

Project or Activity:  Dining with Diabetes

Content or Curriculum: Dining with Diabetes

Inputs: UK Specialist, FCS Agent, Healthcare Providers, Health Department, Non-profits, Schools, Company Health & Wellness, Community Centers

Date: March 2024

  

Audience: Whitley County Extension Homemakers

Project or Activity:  Promoting Healthy Lifestyle Choices 

Content or Curriculum: Health Bulletins, Monthly Leader Lessons

Inputs: FCS Agent

Date: August-May yearly

Audience: Whitley County Residents 

Project or Activity:  Heritage Skills Classes - Sewing, Quilting & Fiberwork 

Content or Curriculum: UK publications

Inputs: FCS Agent, qualified community teachers

Date:  Continuous 

 
Audience: Whitley County Residents 

Project or Activity: Nutritional Programming

Content or Curriculum: NEP and SNAP Ed Curriculum 

Inputs: FCS Agent, NEP Assistants 

Date: Every month

Audience: Whitley County Residents 

Project or Activity: Self (talk) Portrait 

Content or Curriculum: CEDIK Arts Extension 

Inputs: Community Arts 

Date: Fall and Winter 2022-2024

 

Audience: Whitley County Residents 

Project or Activity: Hort/Art Hiking program

Content or Curriculum: UK, books 

Inputs: Community Arts, 4-H, Ag, Hort

Date: Summer-Fall 2022-2024

 

Audience: General Public/Families 

Project or Activity: Dance Classes: Line Dancing, Belly Dancing, Choreography  

Content or Curriculum: Artist Curriculum, KET Dance toolkit 

Inputs: Community Arts, Volunteers, Artists 

Date: Yearly/ongoing Fall and Winter 2022-2024

Audience: General Public 

Project or Activity: Yoga/ Chair Yoga 

Content or Curriculum: Healthy Activities, SNAP 

Inputs: Qualified Community teachers, Agents, 4-H Camp 

Date: 6-8 weeks series twice a year starting back 2022, Summer 2023 4-H Camp

Audience: General Public/Artists

Project or Activity: Art and Mental Health

Content or Curriculum: Community Arts, University of Kentucky, FCS resources, CDC

Inputs: Artists, Volunteers, Community Arts Agent, community input, Community Arts Assistant

Date: 2023-2024

Audience: 9-19

Project or Activity:  Outdoor Cooking

Content or Curriculum: SNAP-ED

Inputs: 4-H Agent, 4-H Assistant

Date: July 2023/October 2023

Success Stories