Bell County CES

Title:

Improve physical and mental health

MAP:

Making healthy lifestyle choices

Agents Involved:

Rebecca Miller, Brian Good

MAJOR PROGRAM 1:

Cook Together, Eat Together

MAJOR PROGRAM 2:

Health

MAJOR PROGRAM 3:

LEAP

MAJOR PROGRAM 4:

Active Living and Health Promotions General

Situation:

A foundation of nutrition knowledge, skills and competencies in topics such as food safety, handling and preparation, cooking methods and techniques, feeding practices, food science, and food systems are essential to changing dietary behaviors. With the increased trend of chronic disease and obesity in Kentucky, individuals, families, and communities need tools and environments that support healthful dietary decisions. CES agents are encouraged to reach diverse audiences to help combat chronic disease and obesity in Kentucky communities.

Families and individuals suffer from chronic diseases due to the lack of physical activity. Most feel like they do not have the time to exercise and lack motivation. Extension provides opportunities for Bell Countians to get needed physical activity throughout their day and improve their overall health.

 

Long-Term Outcomes:

• Routinely employ healthy dietary practices that promote health and wellness in youth and adults(e.g. consume recommended daily fruits and vegetables, improve food management skills, physical activity)
• Reduce the rate of chronic disease and obesity in youth and adults

Intermediate Outcomes:

• Generate positive attitudes toward changing dietary decisions to be more healthful.
• Increase intake of fruits, vegetables
• Decrease intake of solid fats, added sugars, and sodium
• Employ healthful cooking methods, feeding practices, and food preservation techniques
• Increased access to healthy food via local farmers markets, food retailers, and/or home gardens
• Increase amount of physical activity 

Initial Outcomes:

• Increase awareness about relationships between food and nutrition practices and chronic disease.
• Improve food and nutrition-related skills (e.g. gardening, preparation and preservation techniques, safe food handling, food resource management)
• Increase confidence in ability to employ healthy eating practices 
• Increase motivation to exercise,access and prepare healthier foods

Evaluation:

Outcome:  Nutrition knowledge, skills, and competencies

Indicator:  Number of individuals who reported: use knowledge and skills to improve food-shopping management; utilize the food label to make healthy food choices; choosing smaller portions; increased food preservation knowledge; demonstrated recommended food preservation practices; number of individuals who reported they exercise more or get the recommended amount of physical activity in their day. 

Method: Self-report surveys; specific curricula or program evaluations

Timeline:  Pre-post implementing curricula or program

Outcome: Preparing and preserving food 

Indicator:  Number of individuals who reported: preparing more home-cooked meals; modifying ingredients and/or preparation techniques to improve nutrition

Method: Self-report survey; specific curricula or program evaluations

Timeline:  Pre-post implementing curricula or program

Outcome:  Dietary intake 

Indicator:  Number of individuals who reported: eating 4-6 servings of fruits and/or vegetables daily

Method: Self-report surveys about fruit and vegetable intake or other dietary improvements; specific curricula or program evaluations

Timeline: Pre-post implementing curricula or program

Outcome:  Availability and access to healthy food 

Indicator:  Number of individuals who reported: utilizing delivery systems/access points (e.g., farmers’ markets, CSAs, WIC, food pantries) that offer healthy foods; supplementing diets with healthy foods grown or preserved (e.g., community or backyard gardens, fishing, hunting, farmers markets); dollar value of vendor-reported sales or EBT, WIC, or Senior benefits redeemed at farmers’ markets; number of pints of foods preserved through water bath canning, pressure canning, freezing, or drying. 

Method: Self-report survey

Timeline:  Pre-post implementing curricula or program

Learning Opportunities:

Audience:4-H youth

Project or Activity: 4-H Cooking 101

Content or Curriculum: 4-H cooking 101 booklet, UK 4-H publications on nutrition

Inputs: paid staff, volunteers, facilities, programmatic materials, NEP

Date:ongoing projects throughout the year

Audience: homemakers, adults, youth, families

Project or Activity:My Plate

Content or Curriculum: Professor Popcorn, NEP publications and curriculum

Inputs:NEP, paid staff, schools

Date: ongoing throughout the year

Audience:cloverbuds, youth 9 and under

Project or Activity:LEAP 

Content or Curriculum: Agents, schools, SNAP Ed, Family Resource Centers

Inputs:Agents, schools, SNAP Ed, Family Resource Centers

Date:ongoing throughout school year

Audience: adults, homemakers, youth

Project or Activity: Food Preservation

Content or Curriculum: UK publications, So Easy to Preserve Videos, trainings

Inputs:paid staff, Specialist, facilities, NEP

Date:May to September for adults and youth

Audience: general public, youth, adults, farmers, homemakers

Project or Activity: Farmer's Market Outreach

Content or Curriculum: Plate It Up,  marketing, growing vegetables, farmers market tool kit

Inputs: NEP, specialist, paid staff, KDA

Date: April- October growing season

Audience:adults, homemakers, youth

Project or Activity:Food Preparation for Better Health

Content or Curriculum: super star chef, Cook Together Eat Together, Weight the Reality Series, Plate It Up!

Inputs:programmatic materials, paid staff, community partners

Date: ongoing throughout year

Audience:adults, volunteers, Master Gardeners

Project or Activity: Community Organic Gardening

Content or Curriculum: UK publications, UK gardening pubs, Master Gardener Curriculum

Inputs: agents, specialist, community partners

Date: growing season

Audience:adults, youth, families, homemakers

Project or Activity: Walking Program

Content or Curriculum: Get Moving Ky, Couch Potato Challenge, FitBlue

Inputs: agents, specialist, programmatic materials

Date:on going

Success Stories