Extension
It Starts With Us
Making Healthy Lifestyle Choices
Life Skills Development
Brittany Bowling; Ray Wilson; Vicki R. Boggs
Making Healthy Lifestyle Choices (general)
Accessing Nutritious Foods (general)
Nurturing Families (general)
Embracing Life as We Age (general)
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. 42% of Leslie County's population is considered obese and 37% of the county’s population does not consider themselves physically active. Increased consumption of unhealthy food, stress, and built environments that promote physical inactivity are largely responsible for the obesity epidemic. According to the Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky, Leslie County ranks 111th out of Kentucky’s 120 counties in regards to overall health. Additionally, Kentucky’s population of seniors(65 and older) is expected to double in the next 40 years due to the aging Baby Boomers. Therefore, it is important to acknowledge the changes that accompany aging, in regard to health, independence and life quality throughout all stages of life. The Leslie County Extension Councils have identified healthy living during all stages of life as a major area of programming for our community.
-A decrease in the number of obese and overweight youth and adults.
-Increase in the practice and promotion of physical activity and healthy eating daily.
-Improvement in the well-being of Leslie County residents.
-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 average fruit and vegetable consumption by 1 or more servings per day
-Improve food management skills and healthy eating habits
-Youth will be food secure when school is not in session
-Improve quality of life for Kentucky’s aging families
-Care for the physical and mental health and well-being of each individual over the long term
-Become volunteers to make their community a better place to live for everyone
-Practice healthy food choices and strengthen individuals’ abilities to build healthy eating plans and patterns.
-Maintain appropriate calorie balance during each stage of life: childhood, adolescence, adulthood, pregnancy, breastfeeding, and older age.
-Practice of physical activity in families and communities and decrease time spent on sedentary behaviors.
-Changes related to physical activity, obesity, and healthy eating.
-Strengthen community coalitions or partnerships to address obesity, physical inactivity, substance abuse, and chronic disease.
-Practice healthy lifestyle choices that strengthen individuals’ ability to cope with normal life stressors
-Access more local foods
-Plant, harvest and preserve produce
-Improved food preparation skills, food management skills, food safety and healthy eating habits
-Eat family meals together four or more times a week
-Households accessing emergency food sources
-Work as a family unit to acknowledge and embrace aging issues
-Learn to grow, prepare and preserve food
-Learn to incorporate unfamiliar foods or foods not currently eaten into a healthy diet
-Increase knowledge and understanding of healthy eating, food safety and food resource management
-Commits to set family rules regarding eating together, limiting screen time, active play and exercise, set routines
-Learn about community support services to increase food security
-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, and reduction of chronic diseases
Initial Outcome: Participants gain knowledge needed to make healthier lifestyle choices.
Indicator: Individual(s) acquire knowledge, skills, opinions, and aspirations.
Method: Observation; Written and verbal evaluations; Individual reports; NEERS reports
Timeline: July 2016-June 2017
Intermediate Outcome: Participants will make healthier lifestyle choices.
Indicator: Number of individual(s) that show positive changes in personal and nutritional choices.
Method: Observation; Written and verbal evaluations; Individual reports; NEERS reports
Timeline: July 2016-June 2017
Long-term Outcome: The health of Leslie County is strengthened.
Indicator: Positive change in statistics regarding healthy eating, physical activity, and substance abuse.
Method: Data analysis
Timeline: Ongoing
Audience: Youth (Ages 9-18)
Project or Activity: Super Star Chef
Content or Curriculum: FCS Curriculum
Inputs: FCS Agent; 4-H Agent; Extension volunteers; NEP office
Date: June 2017 and 2018
Audience: Youth (Grades HS-K)
Project or Activity: Literacy, Eating, and Activity for Primary
Content or Curriculum: LEAP Curriculum
Inputs: FCS Agent; school volunteers
Date: August 2017-December 2017
Audience: Adults and Youth
Project or Activity: What's Cooking Workshops
Content or Curriculum: Plate It Up Kentucky Proud; NEP calendar recipes
Inputs: FCS Agent; Extension volunteers
Date: July 2017-June 2018
Audience: Adults
Project or Activity: Blue to You
Content or Curriculum: Blue to You
Inputs: FCS Agent;
Date: June 2017-August 2017
Audience: Adults and Homemakers
Project or Activity: Raised Bed Gardening
Content or Curriculum: FCS and ANR curriculums
Inputs: ANR Agent; FCS Agent; Extension volunteers
Date: Summer 2017
Audience: Adults, Homemakers, Youth and Community
Project or Activity: Food Preservation series and Put It Up
Content or Curriculum: FCS and 4-H curriculums
Inputs: FCS Agent; 4-H Agent, Extension Staff and Volunteers
Date: Summer 2017
Audience: Youth, Schools, Community Partners, Volunteers
Project or Activity: Backpack program: Feeding Leslie County Youth
Content or Curriculum: FCS, 4-H and related curriculum
Inputs: FCS Agent; ANR Agent; 4-H Agent; Extension and Community Volunteers; 4-H Teens
Date: July 2017-June 2018
Audience: Senior Citizens and Homemakers
Project or Activity: Keys to Embracing Aging
Content or Curriculum: Keys to Embracing Aging
Inputs: FCS Agent
Date: June 2017-April 2018
Audience: Youth (Grades 1-4)
Project or Activity: Exploring MyPlate with Professor Popcorn
Content or Curriculum: Exploring MyPlate with Professor Popcorn; Serving Up MyPlate: A Yummy Curriculum
Inputs: 4-H Agent; 4-H Program Assistant; Extension and Teacher/School Volunteers
Date: September 2017-May 2018
Audience: Low Income Families
Project or Activity: Leslie County Food Pantry
Content or Curriculum: Accessing Nutritious Foods
Inputs: ANR Agent; 4-H Agent; FCS Agent; 4-H Teens; Churches; Fiscal Court; Schools; Homemakers; Community Partners
Date: July 2017-June 2018; Ongoing
Author: Brittany Bowling
Major Program: Keys to Embracing Aging
~~Keys to Embracing Aging Brain Program Success StoryA healthy brain is crucial to survival, growth and everyday successes (Smith, 2010). Similar to the rest of the body, the brain needs exercise and maintenance in order to optimize and protect its current and future health. In particular, the brain needs socialization, mental stimulation, physical activity, nutrition and sleep (AARP/Dana Alliance for Brain Initiatives, 2009; Alzheimer’s Association, 2011). Leslie County presented Keys to
Author: Brittany Bowling
Major Program: Food Preservation
Participants of all ages attended the Leslie County Food Preservation Workshop. 40% of participants had experience preserving foods but only 20% of the participants owned and used a pressure canner. Participants shared reasons for attending the workshop. Most wanted to be sure that they preserved food safely. One participant commented that she always wanted to home can foods but "didn't have the nerve to try pressure canning on her own". Pa
Author: Brittany Bowling
Major Program: Keys to Embracing Aging
Practicing safety is important because it helps keep people out of harm’s way. Over the course of a lifetime, people learn and practice safety, such as looking both ways before crossing the street, wearing a seat belt or locking doors when away or at night. Simple lifestyle changes and recognizing hazards and how danger or injuries can occur when participating in different activities are keys to safe living. Leslie County presented Keys to Embracing Aging: Safety. 100% of partici
Author: Brittany Bowling
Major Program: Keys to Embracing Aging
Keys to Embracing Aging: Taking Time for YouProgram Date: March 19, 2018Keys to Embracing Aging: Taking Time for YouThe American Heart Association (2011) recommends that each person make a conscious decision to do at least one personally enjoyable thing every day. “Taking time for you” is good for a person’s mind, body and soul. Even as few as 10 minutes a day can enhance health, overall well-being and optimal aging throughout the lifespan.Leslie County presented Keys to Embrac
Author: W Wilson
Major Program: Home & Consumer Horticulture
The PRIDE initiative promotes Personal Responsibility In a Desirable Environment in 42 counties in Southern and Eastern Kentucky.The PRIDE initiative was launched in 1997 by Congressman Hal Rogers and the late General James Bickford (PDF) the former Secretary of the Kentucky Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Cabinet. Their vision was to restore the natural beauty of their native region by encouraging citizens to take responsibility for protecting their environment and by provid
Author: W Wilson
Major Program: Home & Consumer Horticulture
Once in a while even a blind hog can find an acorn. We stumbled across a great idea this year. We introduced mushroom production. A neighboring Agriculture Agent came over and introduced us to growing Shitake mushrooms. In the class we had the educational program then we allowed everyone to inoculate a log for their selves. These participants have been so excited that we have been asked to repeat this program again this year. However, more importantly we have had some to inquire about obtaining
Author: W Wilson
Major Program: Promoting Healthy Homes and Communities (general)
A young man sat in the back of the bus heading home on Friday evening. He opened a bag of food and began to eat everything in it that he could. The bus driver alertly noticed and questioned the young man about his actions. The answer was that the bag was food from the backpack program and he wanted to eat before someone took it away from him. It is because of youth like this from struggling homes that teachers and family resource center directors are out during the summer vac
