Extension
It Starts With Us
Making Healthy Lifestyle Choices (FCS/HORT)
Promote Healthy Lifestyles
Diane Mason, Robert Brockman
Active Living and Health Promotions General
Apparel and Textiles (Non-Master Clothing Volunteer)
Horticulture, Consumer and Home
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 leisure-time 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.
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 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 policies that address obesity, physical inactivity and promotion of poor nutrition
More people growing and eating their own fresh fruits and vegetables, gaining health benefits from more exercise (gardening) and from gaining easy access to healthier foods with more fiber and less fat, through fresh garden produce they grow at home.
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
Community members advocate for policy implementation and changes related to obesity, physical activity and healthy eating.
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.
Individuals growing some fruits and vegetables in their home gardens. The home garden includes containers such as raised beds and pots, particularly in more urban areas of county.
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
Policies that that reduce the level of obesity
Reduction of chronic disease
Increase in knowledge of raising fresh fruits and vegetables in containers and the home landscape.
Initial Outcome: Post program surveys
Indicator: Change in knowledge or attitude and intent to implement
Method: Post program surveys
Timeline: Immediately following program
Intermediate Outcome: Post Program Surveys
Indicator: Use of information from program and change in practice or behavior
Method: Mailed or on-line survey of participants
Timeline: 3 to 6 months following program
Long-term Outcome: Change in behavior that leads to change in health
Indicator: Community indicators for health
Method: Statistics from state and national organizations
Timeline: 4 years
Audience: Adults, general public
Project or Activity: Food Preservation for the Adult Beginner
Content or Curriculum: University of Kentucky curriculum
Inputs: Fact Sheets, online access
Date: July and August 2024
Project or Activity: Friday Food Fun: Increasing consumption of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean meats and essential nutrients
Content or Curriculum: Extension curricula; different topic each month
Inputs: Cooking supplies
Date: Monthly - September, October, November 2024, March, April, May, June 2025
Audience: Adults
Project or Activity: Savor the Flavor (3-part series)
Content or Curriculum: Savor the Flavor
Inputs: fact sheets
Date: April/May 2025
Audience: Adults
Project or Activity: Container Gardening (program in Florence and 2nd program in Burlington)
Content or Curriculum: curriculum developed by agent
Inputs: vegetable and herb plants, large pots, fertilizer
Date: September 2024
Author: Diane Mason
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
In the United States, seven out of the 10 leading causes of death are directly related to diet. This is largely because risk factors like high blood pressure, high blood sugar, and high cholesterol are connected to the foods we eat. Food insecurity, or not having access to or the ability to afford nutritious food, is largely contributing to diet-sensitive chronic conditions. Because of the known health outcomes observed among children and adults, food insecurity is now recognized as a leading nu
Author: Elizabeth Evans
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
Compared to the national average, Kentucky is one of the most challenged states dealing with substance misuse, substance use disorder, and overdose. Percentage estimates for 2019-2020 from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) indicate an average of 10.69% of Kentuckians aged 12 or older have used illicit drugs over the past month. Communities throughout the state have established substance use recovery programs to support those seeking to overcome addi
Author: Elizabeth Evans
Major Program: Mental Health and Well-being - FCS
According to the National Institute of Mental Health, “it is estimated that more than one in five U.S. adults live with a mental illness (59.3 million in 2022; 23.1% of the U.S. adult population). Mental illnesses include many different conditions that vary in degree of severity, ranging from mild to moderate to severe.” According to the National Alliance of Mental Illness, “746,000 adults in Kentucky have a mental health condition. That’s more than 10x the po
Author: Diane Mason
Major Program: Active Living and Health Promotions General
According to the Kentucky Behavioral Risk Factor Survey 2023 Annual Report, 36.5 percent of adults in the commonwealth report being obese and 32.8 percent did not participate in any leisure-time physical activity or exercise (https://www.chfs.ky.gov/agencies/dph/dpqi/cdpb/Kentucky%20BRFSS%20Data%20Reports/2021KyBRFSAnnualReport.pdf).Obesity is affiliated with a variety of diseases including heart disease, stroke, sleep apnea, some cancers, type 2 diabetes, and arthritis. The Trust for Ameri
