Extension
It Starts With Us
Making Healthy Lifestyle Choices
Healthy Lifestyles
Regina Browning, Corinne Belton, Candice Hollingsworth, Elizabeth Coots
Family and Consumer Science
Health & Wellbeing
Nutrition and Food Systems General
Active Living and Health Promotions General
The obesity epidemic threatens the quality and years of Kentuckians' lives. 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 bear a heavier brunt of the obesity and chronic disease burden. The goals 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 of all Shelby Countians. This issue as one identified by the FCS Advisory Council, Shelby County 4-H Council and the Shelby County Extension Council.
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. CES agents are encouraged to reach diverse audiences to help combat chronic disease and obesity in Kentucky communities. Focusing on a foundation of overall direct health education to increase health literacy and ability to make healthy lifestyle choices. Including, creating spaces or opportunities for active living and health behaviors.
Routinely meeting physical activity and dietary recommendations that promote health and wellness (e.g. 150 minutes a week of moderate activity and consuming recommended daily fruits and vegetables)
Community environment promotes healthy behaviors where people live, learn, work, and play
Reduce the rate of chronic disease and obesity
Manage and prevent the risk, debilitation, and premature death related to diabetes, cancer, heart disease, stroke and hypertension
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.
Increase the estimated health savings in dollars for chronic disease.
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
Practice healthy food choices and strengthen individuals' ability to build healthy eating plans and patterns.
Maintain appropriate calorie balance during each stage of life.
Practice of physical activity in families and communities and decreased time spent on sedentary behaviors.
Community members advocate for policy.
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.
Changes related to obesity, physical activity and healthy eating.
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
Change in awareness and KOSA 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 reduce the obesity level
* Reduction of chronic disease
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
Initial Outcome: Change in KOSA regarding physical activity, nutrition, and prevention of chronic disease.
Indicator: Number of individuals gaining KOSA in healthy choices
Method: pre and post tests, program forms, end of session goal setting, end of session questionnaire
Timeline: completion of program
Initial Outcome: Substance Use Prevention
Indicator: Number of individuals who reported: gained knowledge of the resources that are available for substance use prevention in the community as a result of Extension programming
Method: Self-report survey
Timeline: Pre-post implementing curricula or program
Intermediate Outcome: Chronic Disease Prevention
Indicator: Number of individuals who reported: participants who had one or more health indicator (cholesterol, blood pressure, body mass index, blood glucose) improved.
Method: Self-report survey
Timeline: Pre-post implementing curricula or program
Intermediate 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
Intermediate Outcome: Changes in practices regarding physical activity, nutrition, and prevention of chronic disease.
Indicator: Number of individuals adopting healthy lifestyle choices
Method: personal narrative, observation, follow-up surveys
Timeline: 3 months or more after program completion
Long-term Outcome: Obesity decreases, reduction in chronic disease
Indicator: County Health Data
Method: County Health Data research
Timeline: Annually for ten years
Audience: Adults and Youth
Project or Activity: First Saturday Walk About
Content or Curriculum: Planned physical activity - a group walk
Inputs: Family Activity Center location
Date: First Saturday of each month
Audience: Adults
Project or Activity: Red Heart Luncheon
Content or Curriculum: Heart Health Speaker, Heart Health Lunch, FCS publications, UK Health Pubs, American Heart Association materials, American Diabetes Association materials
Inputs: sponsors, community partners, publications
Date: February 2025
Audience: Adults and Youth
Project or Activity: Walking Kentucky
Content or Curriculum: Get Moving Kentucky, Fit Blue, Families on the Move: A Family Walking Program
Inputs: Publications and forms, newsletters, community partners
Date: May-June 2025
Audience: Women over 50
Project or Activity: Annual Ovarian Cancer Awareness Project/Screening
Content or Curriculum: Ovarian Cancer Screening at UK, Ovarian Cancer information
Inputs: UK Ovarian Cancer Screening Techs and location, Ovarian Cancer Information
Date: November 2024, May and June 2025
Audience: Adults and Youth
Project or Activity: Health and Fitness Fun Day
Content or Curriculum: Bike Rodeo, sun safety, fire safety, drug prevention, health screenings, physical activity demonstrations
Inputs: Family Activity Center location, Bike Rodeo, sun safety, fire safety, drug prevention, health screenings, community partners, door prizes, corporate sponsors
Date: April 2025
Audience: 4-H School Clubs
Project or Activity: Nutrition Program
Content or Curriculum: 4-H Health Curriculum, My Plate Resources, 4-H Cooking Curriculum
Inputs: curriculum
Date: March 2025
Audience: 4-H Campers
Project or Activity: Physical Activity Opportunities, Outdoor Recreation
Content or Curriculum: 4-H Health Curriculum, 4-H Camp Programming
Inputs: outdoor recreation opportunities
Timeline: June or July 2025
Audience: 4-H Youth
Project or Activity: Food-A-Rama including nutrition/cooking demo
Content or Curriculum: 4-H Health Curriculum, 4-H Cooking Curriculum, My Plate Resources
Inputs: curriculum, demo supplies
Date: July 2025
Audience: 4-H Members
Project or Activity: 4-H Cooking Programs
Content or Curriculum: 4-H Health Curriculum, 4-H Cooking Curriculum
Inputs: 4-H Health Curriculum, 4-H Cooking Curriculum, My Plate Resources
Date: April 2025, various times throughout year
Audience: General Public
Project or Activity: Rooted in Shelby Pop-Up Markets
Content: Local foods and products
Input: Rooted in Shelby members
Date: August, September 2024
Audience: Farmers
Project or Activity: Farm Safety and Mental Health Awareness
Content: farm safety materials, stress management, mental health awareness
Input: Specialists and mental health professionals
Date: Winter 2024-25
Updated 5/5/2024
