Extension
It Starts With Us
Making Healthy Lifestyle Choices (FCS/HORT)
Promote Healthy Lifestyles
Diane Mason, David Koester
Active Living and Health Promotions 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. 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 various organizations, agencies, and groups to promote the health and wellness in all Kentuckians.
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
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
Increase the estimated health savings in dollars for chronic disease.
Increase policies that address obesity, physical inactivity and promotion of poor nutrition
More people growing and eating their own fresh fruits and vegetables, gaining health benefits from more exercise (gardening) and from gaining easy access to healthier foods with more fiber and less fat, through fresh garden produce they grow at home.
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 implementation and 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.
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 that reduce the level of obesity
Reduction of chronic disease
Initial Outcome: Post program surveys
Indicator: Change in knowledge or attitude and intent to implement
Method: Post program surveys
Timeline: Immediately following program
Intermediate Outcome: Post Program Surveys
Indicator: Use of information from program and change in practice or behavior
Method: Mailed or on-line survey of participants
Timeline: 3 to 6 months following program
Long-term Outcome: Change in behavior that leads to change in health
Indicator: Community indicators for health
Method: Statistics from state and national organizations
Timeline: 4 years
Audience: Adults, general public
Project or Activity:Food Preservation for the Adult Beginner
Content or Curriculum: University of Kentucky curriculum
Inputs: Fact Sheets, online access
Date: July 2020
Project or Activity: Friday Food Fun: Increasing consumption of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean meats and essential nutrients
Content or Curriculum: Extension curricula; different topic each month
Inputs: Cooking supplies
Date: Monthly, July, August, September, October, November, December 2020; January, February, March, April, May, June 2021
Audience: Adults
Project or Activity: Could Your Kitchen Pass a Food Safety Inspection
Content or Curriculum: UK handouts, speakers
Inputs: fact sheets, online access, video creation of food safety issues in home kitchens
Date: September 2020
Audience:
Project or Activity:
Content or Curriculum:
Inputs:
Date:
Author: Diane Mason
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
Pollution increases com­pounds called free radicals in the body. Too many free radi­cals in the body cause oxida­tive stress. Oxidative stress can increase the risk for cancer and other chronic diseases because cells are damaged more easily and do not repair themselves as well. However, healthy lifestyle choices and habits may reduce the negative health effects and disease outcomes association with pollution or chemical exposure. (University of Kentucky Body Balance Curriculum and Re
Author: Diane Mason
Major Program: Food Preparation and Preservation
With the spread of COVID 19 in spring and summer of 2020, many more citizens grew home gardens and many preserved their harvest for the first time. Critical home canning equipment (including canners, jars, and lids) and ingredients (vinegar) were in short supply. (https://source.colostate.edu/home-canning-can-be-challenging-for-first-time-produce-preservers/) Combine the bountiful harvest with limited knowledge and lack of needed supplies it was evident that education on reliable information on
