Encouraging the Adoption of Healthy Lifestyles and Health MaintenancePlan of Work

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Laurel County CES

Title:
Encouraging the Adoption of Healthy Lifestyles and Health Maintenance
MAP:
Making Healthy Lifestyle Choices
Agents Involved:
Adkins, O'Bryan, Sigmon, Whitson, Williams
MAJOR PROGRAM 1:
Health 4-H Core Curriculum
MAJOR PROGRAM 2:
Making Healthy Lifestyle Choices (general)
MAJOR PROGRAM 3:
Get Moving Kentucky (Physical Activity Based Programs)
MAJOR PROGRAM 4:
Family and Consumer Sciences 4-H Core Curriculum
Situation:
The obesity epidemic threatens the quality and years of life of Kentuckians. The obesity rate in Kentucky increased 90 percent over the last 15 years and thirty percent of individuals in the Commonwealth report no leisure-time physical activity. These individuals are at an increased risk for many chronic health conditions, including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and some types of cancers. Increased consumption of unhealthy food, stress, and built environments that promote physical inactivity are largely responsible for the obesity epidemic. As a result, Kentuckians, including youth, 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. Besides high obesity rates, Kentucky youth are also facing high rates of substance abuse, bullying and safety concerns. Early substance use in childhood/adolescence affects later drug use (National Healthy Living Task Force). Almost 30% of youth in the United States (or over 5.7 million) are estimated to be involved in bullying as either a bully, a target of bullying, or both. (http://www.safeyouth.org/scripts/faq/bullying.asp). More persons aged 1-34 years die as a result of injuries than any other cause of death with motor vehicle crashes accounting for approximately half of those deaths (National 4-H Healthy Living Task Force). Individuals, their organizations and their societies’ effectiveness and wellbeing depend on character development (Charactercounts.org).
Long-Term Outcomes:
• 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.
•Increased number of youth maintaining positive health habits 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.
•Increased number of youth at a lower risk for serious disease and illness; Increase the estimated health savings in dollars for chronic disease.
Increased number of youth at a lower risk for physical and emotional distress
Increase policies that address obesity, physical inactivity and promotion of poor nutrition.
Youth will develop into competent, capable, contributing adults as important developmental assets are met through their participation in 4-H Health programs.
Intermediate Outcomes:
• 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.
• 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.
Increased adoption and mastery of healthy behaviors by youth that lead to a healthy lifestyle that include making healthy lifestyle choices, not engaging in risky behavior and handling stress.
Initial Outcomes:
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 reduce the level of obesity
• Reduction of chronic disease
Youth will identify healthy lifestyle choices
Youth will understand risky behaviors and their consequences
Youth will aspire to have higher self esteem
Youth will identify healthy ways to handle stress
Evaluation:
Initial Outcome: Participants will gain knowledge of healthy lifestyle choices.
Indicator: Individuals, families and groups will invest time and resources in delivering the programs
Method: survey
Timeline: July - June

Intermediate Outcome: Participants will make healthier food choices and increase the amount of physical activity in their life.
Indicator: Behavioral changes will lead to improvement in the quality of life.
Method: pre-post test evaluation
Timeline: July-June

Long-term Outcome: Community health and economy is strengthened through efforts of local leadership
Indicator: There will be a measurable decline in obesity and chronic disease among citizens in Laurel County.
Method: Number of local policy changes as a result of Extension programs
Timeline: July-June
Learning Opportunities:

Audience: Youth and Adults

Project or Activity: Family Health & Fitness Camps

Content or Curriculum: Cooking 101, SPARK PE, 4-H Health Curriculum

Inputs: volunteers, extension agents, community partners, school staff

Date: summer, fall


Audience: 4-H Youth

Project or Activity: 4-H Healthy Foods, Cooking and Food Preservation

Content or Curriculum: Teen Cuisine, Put it Up, Cooking 101, microwave cooking

Inputs: 4-H Agents, 4-H assistant, volunteers

Date: Summer, Fall


Audience: 4-H Youth

Project or Activity: 4-H Health Rocks Program

Content or Curriculum: 4-H Health Rocks curriculum

Inputs: 4-H agents, 4-H assistant, locals school staff

Date: August 2017-May 2018


Audience: Laurel Countians

Project or Activity: Community Health in Motion Coalition

Content or Curriculum: community collaboration, strategic planning

Inputs: ext. 4-H agent, LC Health Department, St. Joseph hospital, local churches, London City Police, Sentinel-Echo newspaper, LC ASAP, mental health professionals, etc.

Date: ongoing


Audience: 4-H Youth

Project or Activity: 4-H Health Day Events

Content or Curriculum: National 4-H Health materials

Inputs: Extension agents, staff, volunteers

Date: February 2018


Audience: Youth

Project or Activity: CarTeens Program

Content or Curriculum: CarTeens Program

Inputs: 4-H agents, volunteers, local agencies

Date: ongoing


Audience: Teens

Project or Activity: Healthy Living Mentor Program for Teens

Content or Curriculum: Inservice Training and materials

Inputs: 4-H agent, 4-H assistant, volunteers, local schools

Date: 2017


Audience: SNAP eligible families with children

Project or Activity: EFNEP

Content or Curriculum: NEP approved materials

Inputs: program assistants

Date: ongoing


Audience: SNAP eligible clientele

Project or Activity: SNAP

Content or Curriculum: NEP approved materials

Inputs: program assistants

Date: ongoing


Audience: 4-H Youth

Project or Activity: Pre-prom Mock Accident and Trial (Substance Abuse Prevention Program)

Content or Curriculum: Truth and Consequences curriculum; ASAP, UNITE

inputs: 4-H agent, Laurel County ASAP Board, Local emergency agencies, local high schools

Date: April, May 2018


Audience: 4-H Youth

Project or Activity: 4-H Afterschool Programs

Content or Curriculum: SPARK P.E., Health Rocks

Inputs: 4-H agents, 4-H assistant, volunteers, local schools

Date: September 2017-May 2018


Audience: general public

Project or Activity: Holiday Cooking School

Content or Curriculum: FCS

Inputs: Area FCS Agents, program assistants, local agencies

Date: November 2017


Audience: diabetics and their families

Project or Activity: Diabetes Cooking Classes

Content or Curriculum: Taking Ownership of Your Diabetes

Inputs: Extension Agent, program assistants, health department, local hospital

Date: monthly


Audience: families

Project or Activity: Family Fitness Challenge

Content or Curriculum: FCS

Inputs: Extension Agent, program assistants, local businesses

Date: yearly


Audience: families

Project or Activity: Family Connections Newsletter

Content or Curriculum: FCS

inputs: Extension

Date: quarterly


Audience: SNAP eligible youth

Project or Activity: Backpack Club Food Program

Content or Curriculum: SNAP, 4-H Materials

Inputs: extension agent, Backpack Club, Inc., Faith based institutions, volunteers, teens

Date: August 2017-May 2018


Audience: general public

Project or Activity: Couch Potato Challenge

Content or Curriculum: UK Publications

Inputs: Extension, State Park, local fitness businesses

Date: Spring 2018


Audience: seniors

Project or Activity: Stand Up to Falling

Content or Curriculum: UK Publication

Inputs: Extension, senior citizen centers, senior housing

Date: Fall 2017


Audience: general public

Project or Activity: Walking program

Content or curriculum: UK programs

Inputs: Extension, local businesses, schools

Date: spring 2018


Audience: general public

Project or Activity: Weight Loss Programs

Content or Curriculum: FCS programs

Inputs: Extension Agent, program assistants, local hospital, health department

Date: Winter 2018


Audience: general public

Project or Activity: C.L.A.S.S. (Continuous Learning Assures a Successful Society) Cooking Programs

Content or Curriculum: FCS

Inputs: Extension Agent, program assistant, volunteers, leaders

Date: ongoing


Audience: Extension Homemakers

Project or Activity: Physical Fitness Program

Content or Curriculum: Extension publications

Inputs: Extension Agent, Extension program assistants, Extension Homemakers

Date: August - May




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Encouraging Family Meal Time

Author: Judith O'Bryan

Major Program: Family Mealtime (Curriculum)

Research shows that preparing and eating meals at home can have positive impact on families by strengthening family ties and leading to better physical and mental health.  In an effort to encourage more families to make family mealtime a priority, Family & Consumer Science Agents in the Wilderness Trail Area organized and conducted a Wilderness Trail Area Holiday Cooking School focused on family meal preparation.  250 participants from the eight counties from the Wilderne

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Improving the Aging Process Through Quilting

Author: Judith O'Bryan

Major Program: Embracing Life as We Age (general)

The body’s physical and mental decline associated with aging varies from person to person, but common issues can be a decline in memory, difficulty learning new things and trouble focusing from one task to another.  Research shows that people who stay intellectually engaged are more likely to maintain their mental acuity.  Quilting has been done for years to provide warm blankets for families, but in the last few decades retirees have turned to quilting to help fill the time gap

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Pre Prom Mock Accident and Trial Distracted Driving Program

Author: Kimberly Whitson

Major Program: Building Healthy Coalitions

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Major Program: Securing Financial Stability (general)

Many families struggle each year with their finances and back to school season can be a real hardship for families that are barely managing to pay their bills.  In order to help these families First Baptist Church of London started a “free-for-all.”  For four hours on a Sunday afternoon and evening, families were invited to the church to take advantage of free school supplies, free haircuts, free dental care and more.  The Family and Consumer Sciences Agent was contact

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