Extension
It Starts With Us
Inspiring the adoption of healthy lifestyle choices to improve overall well-being.
Implementing Healthy Lifestyle Choices
Tiffany Bolinger, Matthew Futrell, Kelly Jackson, Kaitlyne Metsker, Jeremiah Johnson, Mary Anne Garnett
Plate It Up! Kentucky Proud
Active Living and Health Promotions General
Nutrition and Food Systems General
Communications and Expressive Arts
Christian County 23% of adults report to have poor or fair health which is compared to the state average of 24% (County Health Ranking Kentucky Data, 2020). In the 2019 Kentucky Extension Community Assessment Christian County Report it was deemed that there should be fewer chronic diseases as the most important in the category of health and wellness by members community. Chronic conditions associated with the describer quality of life include increase risk for chronic disease such as diabetes, which 10.1% residents in Christian County have received a diagnosis (Kentucky Extension Community Assessment Christian County Report, 2019). The community assessment also showed that citizens also found that fewer overweight and obese youth and adults as an important issue in the county. Indicators of this include that 71% of the county’s population is considered overweight or obese with only 9% eating 5 or more servings of fruits and vegetables a day (Christian County Health Department, 2016).
Physical education and Nutrition Education Programs help individuals and families gain the knowledge necessary to know how to gain access to healthier food options, stretch their food dollars, and elevate their overall well-being through daily physical activity. Program councils and the County Extension Council see the benefits of these type of programs as they seek to decrease hunger and promote healthy lifestyles in communities and the county. Agents, paraprofessionals and volunteers are pivotal in training consumers and producers to maximize local access to food products from farm to table.
* Increase number of youth maintain positive health habits
* Increased number of youth at a lower risk of serious disease and illness
* Increased number of youth at a lower risk for physical and emotional distress
* Youth will develop into competent, capable, contributing adults as important developmental assets are met through their participation in 4-H health programs
*A decreased in the percentage of the population that is considered overweight or obese
* Increased practice and promotion of physical activity and daily healthy eating
* Mental health and well-being improvement in local Kentuckians
* Manage and prevent the risk, debilitation, and premature death related to diabetes, cancer, heart disease, stroke and hypertension
* Increased consumption of fruits and vegetables by 1 or more servings a day
*Increased adoption and mastery of healthy behaviors that lead to a healthy lifestyle that include making healthy lifestyle choices, not engaging in risky behavior and handling stress
*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
* Changes related to obesity, physical activity and healthy eating.
* Strengthen community coalitions or partnerships to address obesity, physical inactivity and chronic disease.
* 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:
*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
* Learn the difference between portion and serving sizes, and learn how to prepare a healthy snack/meal
* Understand the relationship between mental and physical health, and between disease and weight
* Learn how to read food labels, grow, prepare, preserve and serve food
* Understand relationship between caloric intake and energy output
* Increase knowledge of the benefits of physical activity, learn health related terminology and learn that fitness can be elevate overall well-being while bettering health
* Understand the importance of sustainable local agriculture to individual health and financial well-being
* 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
Initial Outcome: Youth will be able to apply nutrition education to cooking projects
Indicator: 4-H Cooking Clubs
Method: project evaluations through Fairs and cooking competitions
Timeline: Program year 2020-2021
Initial Outcome: Youth will gain knowledge on nutrition and physical education to help obtain a better quality of life
Indicator: YMCA Summer Camp, Healthy Lifestyle Camps, DanceFit Clubs
Method: pre/post evaluation
Timeline: Program year 2020-2021
Intermediate Outcome: Youth will be able to teach peers the importance of exercise and physical fitness by way of leading classes themselves
Indicator: 4-H Homeschool P.E., 4-H DanceFit
Method: end of year evaluation
Timeline: Program year 2020-2021
Audience: Farmer's Market Clientele
Project or Activity: Taste testing of locally grown foods
Content or Curriculum: Plate it Up!
Inputs: Farmer's Market, Plate it Up Curriculum, Agents and Assitants
Date: yearly; June-September
Audience: Christian County & Ft. Campbell Youth
Project or Activity: 4-H Cooking Clubs
Content or Curriculum: 4-H Cooking, Superstar Chef Series, Professor Popcorn
Inputs: Agents, Military Staff Volunteers, 4-H Volunteer Leaders, Ft. Campbell Child, Youth & School Services, Extension Office, program support funds
Date: yearly; September -May
Audience:Elementary & Middle School Students
Project or Activity: School Nutrition Programs
Content or Curriculum: Professor Popcorn, Farm 2 Table, Super Star Chef
Inputs: Agents, Program Support Funds, Teachers
Date: Program plan year 2020/2021
Audience: Adults/Seniors
Project or Activity: nutrition and physical fitness
Content or Curriculum: Matter of Balance
Inputs: Agent, SNAP Assistant, facilities, curriculum materials
Date: Fall 2020
Audience: Middle School Students
Project or Activity: Nutrition Education
Content or Curriculum: My Plate- The Kentucky Way
Inputs: Agent, School Staff, curriculum materials
Date: Spring 2021
Audience: Middle School Students
Project or Activity: Nutrition Education
Content or Curriculum: Food Label FUNdamentals
Inputs: Agent, School Staff, curriculum materials
Date: Spring 2021 or Fall 2022
Audience: SNAP Recipients; Low income individuals/families
Project or Activity: SNAP-ED Programming
Content or Curriculum: SNAP-ED Core Curriculum
Inputs: SNAP Assistant; community partners, curriculum materials
Date: year round
Audience: General Public
Project or Activity: Home Food Preservation
Content or Curriculum: Home Food Preservation Curriculum
Inputs: agent, kitchen, preservation materials/curriculum
Date: Summer 2021
Audience: YMCA Summer Camp Youth
Project or Activity: 4-H YMCA Camp
Content or Curriculum: SPARK, 4-H Cooking, Professor Popcorn
Inputs: YMCA, Agents, Program Support Funds- 4-H
Date: May - August
Audience: Ft. Campbell Youth
Project or Activity: 4-H Homeschool P.E
Content or Curriculum: SPARK, Steps to a Healthy Teen, Up For The Challenge, Lifetime Fitness, Healthy Decisions
Inputs: Ft. Campbell Child, School & Youth Services, Agents, Military Staff Volunteers
Date: August - May
Audience: Homemaker Members, General Public
Project or Activity: Leader Trainings, Workshops, Seminars
Content or Curriculum: Cultural Diversity in Food; Economical Entrees; Zumba, Yoga, Pilates and More.
Inputs: Specialist Support, Extension Homemaker resources, other university extension resources, eXtension resources
Date: August - May
Audience: Housing Authority Summer Camp
Project or Activity: Nutrition Education, Literacy, Physical Activity
Content or Curriculum: Professor Popcorn, LEAP
Inputs: Agent, Curriculum, Recipe Ingredients, Activity supplies
Date: June-July 2022
Author: Tiffany Bolinger
Major Program: Active Living and Health Promotions General
Low levels of physical activity, unhealthy nutrition, and poor mental health are all determinants of several chronic diseases. These behaviors are now considered major public health concerns and require effective behavior change interventions. Fit Blue is a community-based campaign to increase physical activity and health awareness in the Commonwealth of Kentucky. Building physical activity into the day does not require special equipment or a certain location. As participants take part in Fit Bl
Author: Jeremiah Johnson
Major Program: Family and Consumer Science
2020 has been the year of virtual learning, social distancing, and adapting our everyday life to meet the recommendations. Youth are attending school from their homes through the use of a computer and webcam, while parents and guardians are turning in assignment packets on a designated day of the week. In-person 4-H clubs have come to a halt and agents have scrambled to modify their programs to ensure that our youth are still receiving quality youth development programming in ways that interest
Author: Tiffany Bolinger
Major Program: Family Development General
Early and regular prenatal and infant care is vital for healthy babies. The US Census Bureau reported, based on their 2019 American Community Survey 1-year estimates, 22.1% of people are living in poverty in Christian County. For these individuals, the lack of income many times results in inadequate access to health care and resources. Combine that with a global pandemic and the health of expectant mothers and their babies becomes a real concern. In response to the above issues, Chri
Author: Kaitlyne Metsker
Major Program: Family and Consumer Science
Prior to the start of the 2020-2021 school year, local Family Resource Youth Service Center directors reached out to the Family & Consumer Sciences and 4-H Youth Development agents to assist in providing programming to students that could not be fulfilled through traditional means due to COVID-19 restrictions. In response to the request, a video series of engaging, interactive lessons covering a variety of hygiene lessons was developed for students in second through sixth grade. The obj
Author: Kaitlyne Metsker
Major Program: Family and Consumer Science
According to an article published by the National Association of Students Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA), most incoming college students struggle to answer basic financial literacy questions. For young adults entering college or the workforce, having basic financial literacy is vital to their future financial success. In 2020, Money Sense for Graduates was developed as a collaborative effort between the Christian County Family & Consumer Sciences agent, a planning committee, and
Author: Jeremiah Johnson
Major Program: Family and Consumer Science
Prior to the start of the 2020-2021 school year, local Family Resource Youth Service Center directors reached out to the Family & Consumer Sciences and 4-H Youth Development agents to assist in providing programming to students that could not be fulfilled through traditional means due to COVID-19 restrictions. In response to the request, a video series of engaging, interactive lessons covering a variety of hygiene lessons was developed for students in second through sixth grade. The obj
Author: Tiffany Bolinger
Major Program: Active Living and Health Promotions General
Prior to the start of the 2020-2021 school year, local Family Resource Youth Service Center directors reached out to the Family & Consumer Sciences and 4-H Youth Development agents to assist in providing programming to students that could not be fulfilled through traditional means due to COVID-19 restrictions. In response to the request, a video series of engaging, interactive lessons covering a variety of hygiene lessons was developed for students in second through sixth grade. T
Author: Tiffany Bolinger
Major Program: Financial Education - General
Financial education programs often highlight financial literacy skills such as budgeting and managing credit card debt; however, these skills do not tap into the emotional and practical issues that cause people to react irrationally with money. Financial decisions are most often motivated by emotional need as opposed to logical knowledge. To address this concern, the Christian County Cooperative Extension Service utilized the Money Habitudes program to emphasize the importance of developing a he
