Extension
It Starts With Us
Healthy Lifestyles
Healthy Lifestyle/Wellness
Alexander, Hardy, Heisdorffer, and Potts
Super Star Chef
Plate It Up! Kentucky Proud
Nutrition and Food Systems General
Active Living and Health Promotions General
Due to the increasing trend of chronic disease and obesity in Kentucky, individuals, families, and communities need tools and environments that support healthy and active lifestyle choices. The Daviess County Extension Council met with the Extension Agents to identify programs to reach the needs of Daviess County.
According to Kentuckyhealthfacts.org (2019), 27% of adults 18 years and older in Daviess County were classified as obese and 67% as overweight, which is equivalent to the state percentage. In addition, 29% of individuals in Daviess County reported lack of physical activity and 39% have hypertension. Increased consumption of unhealthy food, stress, and lack of physical activity are largely responsible for the obesity epidemic among adults and youth.
Maintain or improve health, physical activity
Reduce impact of substance abuse
Access to healthy foods
Eat 1 or more fruit and vegetable a day
Plant a garden
Plan a meal, prepare with healthy alternatives
Be physically active for 30 minutes, 3 days/week
Calculate the cost of negative behaviors
Make 1 or more behavior changes to reduce risk of chronic illnesses
Apply stress management practice
Match foods to MyPlate groups
Name 3 ways to be physically active with no money
Recognize consequences of negative behaviors
Discuss long term risks for health
Describe 2 or more ways to reduce stress
List 3 cool-season vegetable crops to plant in the garden
Initial Outcome: able to complete activities during programs and answer post evaluation questions. Increase in knowledge, continuing to attend programs, using healthy recipes.
Indicator: Able to answer questions and complete activities
Method: Oral feedback, paper surveys and activities
Timeline: July 2021 - 2022
Intermediate Outcome: Increase in consumption of fruits and vegetables, put into practice cooking and food safety skills, increased physical activity. Number of individuals reporting increased consumption of fruits and vegetables, utilizing healthier recipes for meals and meal planning, and the number of people increasing daily or weekly physical activity. Increased number of people with own garden, purchasing produce at farmers market, begin trying to discuss mental health.
Indicator: Use of skills in follow up classes/programs, answer post evaluations
Method: follow-up surveys and evaluations, follow-up programs
Timeline: July 2021 - 2022
Long-term Outcome: Improved Health, and healthy choices. Participants report better health, consume more healthy recipes/foods, complete Steps challenges, open discussions among family about health, continue using resources like diabetes support groups, healthy cooking classes and steps challenges, continue gardening and help others.
Indicator: Improved overall health
Method: Observations, inquiry
Timeline: July 2021 - 2022
Audience: Adults
Project or Activity: Steps Challenge and Cooking Classes
Content or Curriculum: Dining with Diabetes, Plate it Up KY Proud, FitBlue App
Inputs: FCS Agent, SNAP Assistant, 4-H Agents
Date: 2021-2022
Audience: Adults with Diabetes
Project or Activity: Diabetes Support Group
Content or Curriculum: Dining with Diabetes, Hospital/Healthpark Diabetes Educator Resources
Inputs: FCS Agent, Diabetes Educator, Healthy Horizons Health Coalition
Date: 2021-2022
Audience: Youth ages 9-15
Project or Activity: Super Star Chef
Content or Curriculum: Super Star Chef Curriculum, SNAP handouts
Inputs: FCS Agents, 4-H Agents, SNAP Assistant
Date: Summer 2021
Audience: Preschool and Kindergarten Age Youth; Youth ages 9-18
Project or Activity: Introduction of various healthy food and snack choices
Content or Curriculum: LEAP (Literacy, Eating, Activity for Primary Youth Health); Healthy Choices monthly bulletin; MyPlate; Better Bites/Snack Strong Program; 4-H Choose Health; 4-H Teen Cuisine
Inputs: FCS Agent, SNAP Assistant, 4-H Agents, Program Assistant, Extension Volunteers
Date: 2021-2022
Audience: Youth ages 9-18
Project or Activity: Truth & Consequences
Content or Curriculum: Truth & Consequences Approved Curriculum
Inputs: Extension Agents, Extension Volunteers
Date: Spring 2022
Audience: Owensboro Regional Recovery Residents
Project or Activity: Raised Bed Gardening
Content or Curriculum: Home Vegetable Gardening in Kentucky publication
Inputs: Extension Agent
Date: Summer-Fall 2021, Spring-Summer 2022
Audience: General Public
Project or Activity: Home Vegetable Gardening Topics
Content or Curriculum: Home Vegetable Gardening in Kentucky publication
Inputs: Extension Agent, Extension Master Gardeners, Seed Library at the Daviess County Public Library
Date: Summer 2021 and February-March 2022
Audience: Farm Families
Project or Activity: Farm Wellness Dinner Theater
Content or Curriculum: UKHealthcare dinner theater curriculum
Inputs: Dr. Deborah Reed, Extension Specialists
Date: December 2021
Audience: General Public
Project or Activity: Grab and Go Kits
Content or Curriculum: UK Extension Publications, Fitblue app, SNAP resources and recipes, PIU recipe and information, Moneywise, Gardening information
Inputs: Extension Agents, SNAP Assistant,
Date: 2021-2022
Author: Katherine Alexander
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
Research shows that people who prepare and cook meals at home are more likely to eat the recommended fruits, vegetables, lean meats, and whole grains needed in a balanced diet. Building skills and cooking knowledge increases the likelihood that people choose to prepare home-cooked meals. To encourage more home-prepared meals, the Daviess County Family and Consumer Science Extension Agent collaborated with the Daviess County Public Library to present Savor the Flavor: Cooking with Oils and Vinega
Author: Katherine Alexander
Major Program: Family and Consumer Science
Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States, according to the Skin Cancer Foundation and the American Cancer Society.Exposure to ultra violet rays is a major risk factor for most melanoma (a common type of skin cancer) diagnoses. The American Cancer Society’s estimates for melanoma in the United States for 2021 are: About 106,110 new melanomas will be diagnosed and about 7,180 people are expected to die of melanoma.All of these statistics were motivation to get infor
Author: Katherine Alexander
Major Program: Active Living and Health Promotions General
Battle of the Border ChallengeLow levels of physical activity, unhealthy nutrition, and poor mental health are all determinants of several chronic diseases. These behaviors are considered major public health concerns and require effective behavior change interventions. To help address this during a pandemic, the Daviess County Family and Consumer Sciences Extension Agent collaborated with the Purdue Extension- Perry & Spencer Counties Health and Human Sciences Educator to have virtual steps
Author: Clinton Hardy
Major Program: Substance Use and Mental Health - ANR
The Daviess County Cooperative Extension Service and the UK College of Nursing conducted the BARN Farm Camp and Dinner Theater on mental wellness and suicide prevention with Daviess and Henderson County high school students in December 2021.Approximately 15 youth attended the two-day BARN youth camp to address mental wellness and suicide in their community. The youth learned about mental wellness, stress, and coping skills during the camp. Camp participants demonstrated statistically significant
Author: Sharayha Clingenpeel
Major Program: Family and Consumer Science
Daviess County 4-H is able to utilize schools, clubs, and camp settings to promote and support healthy lifestyle choices. At the beginning of this school year, a request came in from Owensboro High School FMD classroom to restart a nutrition program. The 4-H agent and program assistant show up once a month to teach a nutrition lesson. A short lesson is taught followed by a recipe. There are 5-8 students in each class, for a total of about 24 students. Last month the students learned how app
Author: Katherine Alexander
Major Program: Aging-General
Bingocize® was created by Dr. Jason Crandall, Co-Director/Co-Founder at the WKU Center for Applied Science in Health & Aging. He created the socially engaging group-based game that combines health education and exercise in the format of BINGO. Dr. Crandall and his research team have tested the program and demonstrated that over 90% of older adults who played two times a week for 10 weeks significantly improved physical, social and mental health. To help participants learn and u
Author: Sharayha Clingenpeel
Major Program: Health
The migrant population is one of the fastest growing populations in Daviess County. All youth from the migrant population in the Daviess County Public School System, grades k-8th, were invited to participate in the ELL Migrant Program called Camp Curiosity. Over 250 youth signed up and are currently participating in this month-long program at Deer Park Elementary. The Daviess Co. Extension Service served as one of the “Specials” classes for 2 days. Day 1 youth received a MyPlate less
Author: Clinton Hardy
Major Program: Food Preparation and Preservation
Food nutrition and education is a responsibility of all agents and opportunities to connect food production and preparation with youth are always rewarding. Outdoor cooking is an art few youth routinely experience and why the West Kentucky 4H Camp provides an campers with the choice to participate in outdoor cooking activities. Youth gain appreciation for food prepared with fire, an increased awareness of agricultural productivity related to the menu ingredients and improved health through
Author: Stacey Potts
Major Program: Health
The benefits of yoga are many. In addition to the physical fitness aspect, studies of yoga for kids suggest the practice can help reduce stress, improve stress management and coping skills, increase confidence, promote a healthy body image, and improve social skills. Using the Yoga for Kids curriculum from the University of Arkansas, Daviess County 4-H conducted a six week yoga session at a local group girls’ home. The residents of the home have experienced abuse, neglect
