Extension
It Starts With Us
Health and Nutrition
Improve Physical and Mental Health across the Lifespan
Slone, Allen, Coleman
Nutrition and Food Systems General
Health & Wellbeing
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, health behaviors chronic disease prevention.
- Reduce the rate of chronic disease and obesity
- Kentuckians improve health span through lifestyle choices and behaviors related to overall health, well-being, and healthy aging (e.g. consume recommended daily fruits and vegetables and improve food management skills)
- Community environment promotes healthy behaviors where people live, learn, work, and play
- All ages will generate positive attitudes toward changing dietary decisions to be more healthful.
- Increase healthy eating behaviors (e.g. increased intake of fruits, vegetables, other nutrient-dense foods and decrease intake of solid fats, added sugars, and sodium)
- Improve self-efficacy in physical activity, movement, and active routes to destinations
- Kentuckians will seek health screenings and vaccines
- Older Kentuckians will prevent falls
- Kentuckians will address mental health
- Kentuckians understand the importance of lifestyle choices and behaviors throughout their lifespan on their overall health, well-being and life quality
- Improve food and nutrition-related skills (e.g. preparation techniques, safe food handling)
- Increase confidence in ability to employ healthy eating practices
- Increase motivation to access and prepare healthier foods
- Increase confidence in ability to employ healthy practices
- Increase motivation to be active
- Kentuckians learn that disease prevention and early detection is important
Outcome: Nutrition knowledge, skills, and competencies
Indicator: Number of individuals who reported: use knowledge and skills to improve food-shopping management; practice safe food handling and skills, utilize the food label to make healthy food choices; choosing smaller portions; increased food preservation knowledge; increased fruit and vegetable intake; demonstrated recommended food preservation practices
Method: Self-report surveys; specific curricula or program evaluations
Timeline: Pre-post implementing curricula or program
Outcome: (LT) Kentucky’s overall health span increases
Indicator: Number of programs and policies identified, adapted, created and evaluated to promote healthy aging in Kentucky
Method: Overall Health Life Expectancy increases in KY
Timeline: Ongoing
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: 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
Audience: Communities
Project or Activity: Policy, Systems, and Environmental Approaches
Content or Curriculum: Faithful Families, Kentucky Farm to School Task Force Resources, Health Coalitions, Story Walk, Shared Space Agreements, Trail Development, Active Community Toolkit, Be More Guide resources for early care and education settings
Inputs: Volunteers, grant funds, faith-based organizations, community partners, key stakeholders, SNAP-Ed Toolkit
Date: Ongoing projects throughout the year
Audience: Families and Individuals
Project or Activity: Food Preparation for Better Health
Content or Curriculum: Cook Together Eat Together, Mastering Food Choices, Dining with Diabetes, Super Star Chef, Champion Food Volunteer, Faithful Families, Body Balance, Plate It Up! Kentucky Proud Resources, plans for prenatal- and infant/toddler-specific curriculum, resources for early care and education settings
Inputs: Programmatic materials, paid staff, community partners, faith-based organizations, health coalitions
Date: Ongoing projects throughout the year
Project or Activity: Chronic Disease Prevention & Health Promotion
Content or Curriculum: Publications, Health Bulletins, Cook Together Eat Together, Mastering Food Choices, Dining with Diabetes, Fit Blue, Faithful Families, Body Balance, Plate It Up! Kentucky Proud Resources, WIN, Kick Kentucky Cancer, Health Partners, Bingocize, Master Health Volunteer, Keys to Embracing Aging, Stand Up to Falling, Bingocize, Adolescent Brain Health, RAAD/VDT, Body Balance, Health Partners, Master Health Volunteer, Story Walk, and Alzheimer’s Association 10 Warning Signs/UAD
Inputs: Programmatic materials, paid staff, community partners, faith-based organizations, health coalitions, Healthcare Providers, Health Department, Non-profits, Schools, Company Health & Wellness, Homemakers, Community Centers, etc.
Date: Ongoing projects throughout the year
Audience: Kentucky Extension Homemakers Association/Volunteers
Project or Activity: Promoting Nutrition with Volunteers
Content or Curriculum: Champion Food Volunteers, Mastering Food Choices, International Cuisine publications, Food preservation workshops, Monthly Leader Lessons
Inputs: Volunteers, paid staff, community partners
Date: Monthly
Project or Activity: Promoting Healthy Lifestyle Choices
Content or Curriculum: Master Health Volunteers, Health Bulletins, and Monthly Leader Lessons
Inputs: Volunteers, paid staff, community partners
Date: Monthly
Audience: Youth grades 4-8
Project or Activity: School Enrichment and clubs through Health
Content or Curriculum: Wellness in KY, Get Moving Youth Curriculum, Building a Healthy, Wealthy Future.
Inputs: Club leaders, FRYSC, Agents and Staff
Date: Year Round
Author: Heather Coleman
Major Program: Family and Consumer Science
According to the American Heart Association teaching youth how to prepare their own food will give them a skill they can use for a lifetime and will help to build confidence. Youth who can prepare foods are also more likely to eat a healthier diet as adults. To address the growing concern about children not knowing how to prepare food safely led to the development of this program. The Floyd County Extension Staff worked together as a team to plan and implement a three-day youth cooking cam
