Nutrition and Food Matters And Healthy Family (Community) through Healthy Individuals
Making Healthy Lifestyle Choices
Doucet, Harned, Stahler, Bowling
Health & Wellbeing
Substance Use Recovery - FCS
Nutrition and Food Systems General
Building Healthy Coalitions
Healthy living is one of three 4-H mission mandates and encompasses: physical activity, personal safety, mental health, addiction prevention, and diversity and inclusion. In Kentucky 37% of youth 10-17 are overweight or obese, and 51% report not exercising regularly. 25% of youth report some form of emotional or behavioral condition and suicide rates are at record high (KY suicides per 100,000 people: 15.3, 10th highest in nation). Substance Use Disorder and Mental Health disease can affect anyone, with 1,160 reported opioid-involved deaths (a rate of 27.9 deaths per 100,000 persons) in Kentucky and Vaping nearly doubled among middle and high school students — with 27% of high school seniors reporting they had tried the product in 2018.
The health and wealth of Boyd County lies within the choices families make on a daily basis. People are living longer. Kentucky’s current population of seniors (65+) is 13.3%, a number that is expected to double in the next 40 years due to the aging Baby Boomers (post WWII babies born between 1946-1964). Approximately 25% of Kentucky’s population includes Boomers, who, in 2011, started turning 65. KentuckyHealthFacts.org reports that in Boyd counties 48,832 residents 39% of adults are obese, 74% of adults are overweight and that only 9% of the population reports fruit and vegetable consumption. County health and Community productivity relies on the overall health of families and individuals. Meanwhile, babies born in Kentucky in 2011 are projected to live to be 75 years old (3 years younger than the national average). Whether it is the graying of America or extended life expectancies, aging is a lifespan process. Therefore, it is important to acknowledge and celebrate the changes that accompany aging, in regard to health, independence and life quality throughout all stages of life. Managing finances plays an integral part in being able to live and manage health in all stages of life. The goal is to develop programs that help individuals, families and communities manage the challenges and discover the positive aspects of life transitions while growing older and acquiring or maintaining physical and financial health.
Goals:
•Apply knowledge and skills to think critically, to solve problems, and to make informed decisions regarding healthy lifestyle choices.
•Reduce chronic disease risk, debilitation, and premature death by practicing healthy lifestyle choices.
•Strengthen family nurturing attitudes and behaviors by caring for the health and well-being of each individual throughout the lifespan.
•Foster the optimal development of children and youth.
•Practice wise parenting skills.
•Build community capacity to nurture all families through appropriate collaborations and programs.
•Individuals and families will demonstrate financial literacy and sound basic financial practices
•Teens and young adults will improve financial literacy and appraise workforce preparedness
•Create safe homes in environments that promote and support the physical and mental well-being of families throughout the lifecycle.
•Improve the built and natural environment to increase active and healthy lifestyles.
•Apply skills of food resource management, food safety, and food preparation to afford healthy, nutritious food choices.
- Reduced fatalities
- Reduced number of children in foster care
- Reduced incarceration
- Increased number of youth maintaining positive health habits;
- Increased 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
- Reduce the number of youth reporting drug, alcohol, and tobacco use
- •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 wellbeing of residents of Grant County
• Decrease in Overdoses and substance abuse
•Decrease falls
•Improve financial education
•Improve healthy homes and communities
- Increased adoption and mastery of healthy behaviors that lead to a healthy lifestyle
- New coalitions developed to address SUC and MH
- Improved access and utilization of resources
- Improved perceived stress and ability to cope
- Youth will contribute to their communities
- Youth will practice refusal skills,
- Youth will intervene to prevent use/abuse
- All agents trained in YMHFA
- •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 changes related to obesity, physical activity and healthy eating.
•Change behavior to decrease risk of falling.
•Increase communication and enhance relationships and social support.
•Enhance brain activity
- Improved in awareness of health concerns for youth
- Improved education about SUD and MH disease
- Improved education about diversity and Inclusion
- Reduced stigma of individuals with SUD and MH disease
- Improved understanding of the consequences of risk behaviors
- Promote optimal physical, social and emotional health habits
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.
Change in awareness, knowledge, and aspirations related to healthy aging, independent aging and quality aging in the areas of : Risk of falling, Healthy eating and food safety, Financial Planning, Age-related family issues (e.g. dementia, power of attorney, living wills, failing health, end-of-life), Teenagers and adults will show increased knowledge and skills related to managing available financial and non-financial resources, Teens and young adults will simulate life situations to recognize importance of education and employability skills, Participants will identify short, medium and long term personal goals and objectives related to maintaining and improving their financial stability and physical health.
- Outcome to be Evaluated
- Number of youth who indicated they learned about healthy food choices through 4-H
- Method of Evaluation
- Number of youth who were educated on health and well-being through 4-H programs? (KOSA)
- Number of youth who indicated they made healthy lifestyle choices as are result of what they learned through 4-H programming? (PRACTICE)
- Number of youth who indicated they increased their daily number of servings of fruits and vegetables eaten as a result of 4-H programs? (PRACTICE) Number of youth who indicated “yes or usually” to the Common Measures Experience Survey Question #6 “Is 4-H A place where you get to figure out things for yourself?” (SEEC)
- Number of youth who indicated “yes or usually” to the Common Measures Experience Survey Question #13 “Is 4-H a place where you have a chance to be a leader?” (SEEC)
Learning Opportunities/Programs for Agents
- Mental Health
- Curriculum: Building Character and Social-Emotional Learning, Mindful Me, Centering on me, YMHFA
- Training: Agent In-services
- Personal Safety
- Curriculum: Code name: Home Alone, Keeping Fit & Healthy- First Aid in Action, Headlines for Health
- Training: Agent In-services
- Physical Health
- Curriculum: 4-H Dancefit, Get Moving Kentucky, Keeping Fit & Healthy, SPARK, Steps to a Healthy Teen, Bicycling for fun, Wheels in Motion, Outdoor Adventures
- Training: Agent In-services
- Diversity and Inclusion
- Curriculum: Building Character and Social-Emotional Learning, Essential Elements, Diversity: The source of Our Strength, Be SAFE: Safe, Affirming, & Fair Environments, Black History, 4-H LIFE
- Training: Agent In-services
- Addiction Prevention
- Curriculum: Health Rocks!, YMHFA
- Training: Agent In-services
Initial Outcome: Knowledge Gained
Indicator: Increased knowledge related to healthy aging, independent aging and quality aging, what is healthy weight, interest in physical activity, and basic understanding of financial matters such as budget, savings, and understanding the importance of money.
Method: Written or Oral Evaluation, Pre and Post Test
Timeline: Immediate
Intermediate Outcome: Behavior Change
Indicator: Apply learned skills to make changes in behavior to decrease risk of falling, improve mental health, make healthy eating choices, increase in savings etc.
Method: Oral and Written Evaluations, Pre and Post Tests.
Timeline: 1-3 Years
Long-term Outcome: Changes in the aging across the lifespan of Boyd County residents
Indicator: Change in social, economic, and environmental issues related to healthy aging, independent aging and quality aging
Method: Noticeable changes in family relationships, and policy changes that promote healthy family relationships, decrease in number of low income families.
Timeline: 10 years
Audience: Limited resource individuals and families, Families with children, Seniors, Youth, Volunteers, Farmer’s Markets, Local Schools
Project or Activity: Conduct demonstrations, classes, and workshops, distribute information through media and social marketing, and provide exhibits, displays, educational materials, and curricula on topics including UK content and curriculum.
Content or Curriculum: •Farmer’s Markets• Gardening Programs• Food Preservation Programs• Food Preparation Programs• Local Food Systems (Farm to School, Farm to Institution)•KY Farm to School (F2S ) Curriculum• Literacy, Eating and Activity for Primary Youth Health (LEAP)•UK CES Nutrition Education Program. National 4-H Curriculum
•Super Star Chef Goes to the Farmers Market• USDA materials
•Plate It Up KY Proud• Small Steps to Health and Wealth for Youth •Teen Cuisine • Organwise •Professor Popcorn• Grow It, Try It, Like It• Lunch from the Land
Inputs: Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service (CES) agents, program assistants, specialists and volunteers, Kentucky CES publications and resources, CAFE faculty in; Nutrition and Food Sciences, Agricultural Economics, Animal and Food Science, Horticulture, Local organizations such as KY Rivers Harvest
Date: Ongoing annual
Audience: Limited resource individuals and families, Families with children, Seniors, Youth, Volunteers, Farmer’s Markets, Local Schools
Project or Activity: Apply skills in food resource management, food safety, and food preparation to afford healthy, nutritious food choices
Content or Curriculum: •Home-based Microprocessing • Plate It Up KY Proud
•Food preparation programs• Food for Thought website• Champion Food Volunteers
•UK CES Nutrition Education Program• USDA materials• Steps to a Healthier Teen
Inputs: Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service (CES) agents, program assistants, specialists and volunteers, Kentucky CES publications and resources, CAFE faculty in; Nutrition and Food Sciences, Agricultural Economics, Animal and Food Science, Horticulture; Boyd County School systems, Ashland Independent School systems. Fairview Independent School systems
Date: Spring 2024-Fall 2026
Audience: Community volunteers, local businesses, local citizens,
Project or Activity: Work with River Cities Harvest, a local organization that collects excess food for distribution to pantries, shelters, kitchens, etc. that then give it out or prepare and serve it to the hungry in the community.
Content or Curriculum: Organization specific
Inputs: Extension agent, some facilities, volunteers,
Date: Year round
Audience: Limited resource individuals and families, Homemakers, Seniors, Shelter Occupants, Developmentally Challenged
Project or Activity: Conduct numerous demonstrations, classes, and workshops
Content or Curriculum: Various materials from various sources including but not limited to: UK Meats Lab; Kentucky Cattlemen's Association, Pork Producers and Poultry Producers; Agent Developed; Life Skills Related to Cooking
Inputs: Recipes, Cuts of Meat Posters/Handouts, UK Meat Science publications
Date: Year round as needed and/or requested
Audience: General Public
Project or Activity: Program on custom meats - how to order carcass cut up, expectations of meat received, etc.
Content or Curriculum: Locally developed, in conjunction with meat specialist
Inputs: Facilities, agent and program assistant, local beef producers, local meat markets
Date: Spring 2024, Fall 2025
Audience: Extension Homemakers, but open to all county residents
Project or Activity: Multiple food demonstrations
Content or Curriculum: Self-developed following UK FCS guidelines for nutrition and safety
Inputs: Food materials, facilities to hold demos, agent to do demos.
Date: Spring 2024-Fall 2027
Audience: Families
Project or Activity: Family Mealtime
Content or Curriculum: Family Mealtime
Inputs: Agents, Assistants, community partners.
Date: Spring 2024-Fall 2025
Audience: Boyd County Citizens of all ages
Project or Activity: promoting local food systems
Content or Curriculum: Plate It Up! Kentucky Proud;
Inputs: Agents, farmers market, curriculum
Date: Spring 2024-Fall 2025
Audience: Adults
Project or Activity: International Cooking Series
Content or Curriculum: Travel the World without Leaving Your Kitchen
Inputs: Agent, Curriculum
Date: Fall 2024-Spring 2025
Audience: Middle School to high school-age youth
Project or Activity: Truth and Consequences: The Choice is Yours
Content or Curriculum: Truth and Consequences
Inputs: Agents, schools, community organizations, community partners
Date: Fall/Spring as requested
Audience: School Age Youth
Project or Activity: Dollars and Sense
Content or Curriculum: UK Recourses, Dollars, and Sense
Inputs: Agents, Specialists, teachers, Extension staff
Date: Annually
Audience: School Age Youth
Project or Activity: Reality Store
Content or Curriculum: UK Recourses, Reality Store
Inputs: Agents, Specialists, teachers, Extension staff
Date: Annually
Audience: Middle Schools
Project or Activity: Health/Nutrition Clubs
Content or Curriculum: National 4-H Curriculum
Inputs: Agents, teachers, school staff and administration, extension staff
Date: Annually
Author: Jacqueline Doucet
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
Research shows that people who prepare and cook meals at home are more likely to eat the recommended fruits, vegetables, lean meats, and whole grains needed in a balanced diet. Building cooking skills and knowledge increases the likelihood that people choose to prepare home-cooked meals. To encourage more home-prepared meals, the Boyd County Extension Office in partnership with UK King's Daughter's Department of Oncology presented the Savor the Flavor series to people currently in cancer
Author: Lori Bowling
Major Program: Local Food Systems
In Boyd County there are neighborhoods that are considered to be food desserts due to the lack of local grocery stores close by. This has posed a problem for some of the community members that are elderly or not able to drive to stores that are outside of their immediate area. A local vendor at the county farmers market worked with the horticulture agent to look into alternative ideas for food items that would have a fairly long shelf life but be a nutritional meal options for those who li