Improving Diet, Nutrition and HealthPlan of Work

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Russell County CES

Title:
Improving Diet, Nutrition and Health
MAP:
Making Healthy Lifestyle Choices
Agents Involved:
FCS Agent; SNAP assistant
MAJOR PROGRAM 1:
Making Healthy Lifestyle Choices (general)
MAJOR PROGRAM 2:
Accessing Nutritious Foods (general)
MAJOR PROGRAM 3:
Food Preservation
MAJOR PROGRAM 4:
Plate It Up! Kentucky Proud
Situation:

The obesity epidemic threatens the quality and years of life of Kentuckians. 34% of adults 18 years and older are obese in Russell County while 11% of adults have diabetes (Building Strong Families, 2016). 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 local organizations, agencies, and groups to promote health and wellness in Russell County. This initiative continues to be recognized by the RC Family and Consumer Sciences Council as well as RC County Extension Council as a top priority in RCFCS programming efforts.


Nutrition Education Programs help families gain access to food and stretch food dollars; communities to decrease hunger; and local food assistance programs to educate recipients on healthy and safe food preparation methods.

Long-Term Outcomes:

*Manage and prevent the risk, debilitation, and premature death related to diabetes, cancer, heart disease, stroke and hypertension.

*Increase in the practice and promotion of physical activity and healthy eating daily.

*Increase policies that address obesity, physical inactivity and promotion of poor nutrition.

*A decrease in the number of obese and overweight children, youth, adults and elderly.

* Limited English proficient families will learn how to grow a garden, preserve food and prepare nutritious meals.

Intermediate Outcomes:

*Access more local foods

*Redeem Farmer’s Market Nutrition Program benefit.

*Plant, harvest and preserve produce

*Apply improved food preparation skills, food management skills, food safety and healthy eating habits

*Participants will increase fiber intake by consuming more whole grains, fruits and vegetables and decrease fat, sugar and sodium in their diets.

*Participants will increase their physical activity.

*Households will access emergency food sources

Initial Outcomes:

*Understand the importance of sustainable local agriculture to individual health and financial well-being

*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

*Learn about community support services to increase food security

*Participants will follow the recommendations of MyPlate and 2015 Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

*Participants will increase fruit and vegetable consumption and buy locally grown produce from local farmers

Evaluation:

Outcome: NEP clients will improve on the 24 hour food recall upon completion of the program

Indicator: NEP food recall (before and after program) NEERS

Method: NEP core curriculum

Timeline: 12 months or completion of program


Outcome: LEP gardening participants will learn how to preserve garden produce

Indicator: Number of jars/bags preserved

Method: Preserve garden produce from community garden

Timeline: Summer/Fall


Outcome: Homemakers will increase knowledge of popular household appliances

Indicator: Pre and post test evaluations, verbal feedback

Method: homemaker lesson

Timeline: throughout year


Outcome: Participants will increase fruits/veggie consumption and buy from local farmers market

Indicator: Verbal feedback

Method: Farmer’s market sampling

Timeline: Summer/Fall 


Learning Opportunities:

Audience: Extension Homemakers

Project or Activity: Small appliances

Content or Curriculum: FCS fact sheet

Inputs: KEHA/homemaker members/SNAP-Ed

Date: 


Audience: General Public

Project or Activity: PIU KY Proud food demos and sampling

Content or Curriculum: PIU-KY Proud

Inputs: PIU recipe cards, NEP program reinforcements

Date: summer


Audience: Limited resource families

Project or Activity: Group sessions

Content or Curriculum: NEP core curriculum

Inputs: NEP reinforcements, community groups, RC Community Health Coalition

Date: All - year


Audience:  Preschool

Project or Activity:  What's in a Doctor's Bag?

Content or Curriculum:  What's in a Doctor's Bag?

Inputs:  Resources given with curriculum, preschool program

Date:  school year

 



Success Stories

Community Supported Local Foods

Author: Jonathan Oakes

Major Program: Local Food Systems

Russell County has always had a strong heritage in vegetable production, whether it be commercial or home garden production.  Our main garden is located at the extension office.  This year, in conjunction with Russell County Health Department and Russell Springs First Baptist Church, we were able to start another community garden in Russell County.  The new community garden provides low income families, minorities and Senior Citizens with the opportunity to help grow their own foo

Full Story
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