Extension
It Starts With Us
Improving Physical, Health and Mental Well-Being--2020
Health and Wellness
Nanette Banks, Crystal Smith, Shad Baker
Plate It Up! Kentucky Proud
Food Preparation and Preservation
Health
Leadership
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. Census figures show that 30.5% of the county’s population is living in poverty and 38% of the total population is obese. Citizens need information to help them live enriched lives through better nutrition and more physical activity, focusing on a foundation of overall direct health education to increase health literacy, improve mental health and ability to make healthy lifestyle choices, including creating spaces or opportunities for active living behaviors and preparing for disasters.
Letcher County families and youth enjoy better health through accessing and eating more nutritious foods, getting enough exercise and having lower doctor bills as a result.
A decrease in the number of obese and overweight youth and adults
Increase in the practice and promotion of physical activity, healthy eating daily and improved mental health.
Improve food management skills and healthy eating habits
Improved mental health
Improved preparations for disasters
Practice healthy food choices and strengthen individuals' abilities to build healthy eating plans and patterns.
Practice of physical activity in families and communities and decrease time spent on sedentary behaviors.
Decrease tobacco/substance use.
Strengthen community coalitions or partnerships to address obesity and physical inactivity.
Plant, harvest and preserve produce.
Improved food preparation skills, food management skills, food safety and healthy eating habits.
72-Hour Disaster Kit preparation will be implemented
Increase awareness about nutritious low cost foods for families
Increase knowledge of safety equipment and proper use
Increase awareness of effects of drugs
teach the skills for individuals to properly increase physical fitnessIncrease awareness about disaster kits and emergency supplies
Outcome: Nutrition knowledge and dietary intake
Indicator: Number of individuals who reported: eating 4-6 servings of fruits and/or vegetables daily; utilize the food label to make healthy food choices; choosing smaller portions.
Method: Self report surveys
Timeline: Pre-post implementing curricula or program
Outcome: Physical activity knowledge, skills, and competencies
Indicator: Number of individuals who reported: knowledge and skills gained about the benefits of physical activity; adoption of physical activity practices; increase in physical activity levels.
Method: Self-report surveys
Timeline: Pre-post implementing curricula or program
Outcome: Substance use
Indicator: Number of individuals who reported: knowledge and skills of the resources that are available for substance use in the community as a result of Extension programming.
Method: Self-report surveys
Timeline: Pre-post implementing curricula or program
Outcome: Chronic disease prevention
Indicator: Number of individuals who reported: participants who had one or more health indicator (cholesterol, blood pressure, body mass index, blood glucose) improved.
Method: Self-report surveys
Timeline: Pre-post implementing curricula or program
Outcome: Access to healthy lifestyles
Indicator: Number of communities, health coalitions, or organizations who reported: implemented policy, system, and/or environmental changes to promote healthy eating and active living.
Method: Self-report surveys
Timeline: Pre-post implementing curricula or program
Outcome: Prepared for Disasters
Indicator: Number of families reporting being prepared with 72-Hours of food, water, medicine, etc.
Method: Self-Report Surveys
Timeline: Pre-Post implementing curricula or program
Learning Opportunities
Audience: Adults, Homemakers, youth, community members, seniors
Project or Activity: Dining with Diabetes
Content or Curriculum: Dining with Diabetes curriculum
Inputs: FCS agent and assistant
Date: Spring 2022
Project or Activity: Fit Blue Walking Program
Content or Curriculum: FCS curriculum and walking videos
Inputs: FCS agent and assistant
Date: Winter 2022
Project or Activity: Super Star Chef
Content or Curriculum: Super Star Chef curriculum
Inputs: FCS and 4H agents and assistants
Date: Summer 2021
Project or Activity: Senior's Nutrition Series
Content or Curriculum: FCS and NEP curriculum
Inputs: FCS agent and assistant, Senior Citizens
Date: Monthly
Project or Activity: Healthy Choices
Content or Curriculum: FCS and NEP curriculum
Inputs: FCS agent and assistant, KRCC Wellness, KRCC Solutions, and East Ky Support Services
Date: Monthly
Project or Activity: LEAP
Content or Curriculum: LEAP curriculum
Inputs: FCS and 4H agents and assistants
Date: Fall 2021
Project or Activity: Cooking Thru the Calendar
Content or Curriculum: 2021 NEP Calendar and FCS Curriculum
Inputs: FCS agent and assistant
Date: Winter 2022
Project or Activity: Plate It Up Kentucky Proud Cooking Class
Content or Curriculum: Plate It Up recipes
Inputs: FCS agent and assistant
Date: Winter 2022
Project or Activity: Food Preservation
Content or Curriculum: FCS curriculum and 4H curriculum
Inputs: FCS and 4H agents and assistants
Date: Summer 2022
Project or Activity: Sharing Meals Together: A Guide to Smart Potlucks
Content or Curriculum: KEHA Lessons
Inputs: FCS agent and assistant
Date: September 2021
Project or Activity: The Buzz about Honey
Content or Curriculum: KEHA Lessons
Inputs: FCS agent and assistant
Date: February 2022
Project or Activity: Plate It Up Kentucky Proud
Content or Curriculum: KEHA Lessons
Inputs: FCS agent and assistant
Date: March 2022
Project or Activity: Cook Wild Ky
Content or Curriculum: Cook Wild Ky curriculum
Inputs: FCS and ANR agents and assistants
Date: Winter 2022
Project or Activity: Heritage Days
Content or Curriculum: 4H and FCS Curriculums
Inputs: 4H and FCS agents and assistants and staff
Date: Fall 2021 and 2022
Project or Activity: Safety Days
Content or Curriculum: 4H curriculum
Inputs: 4H, ANR, FCS agents, assistants and staff
Date: Fall 2022
Project or Activity: 4H Teen Club
Content or Curriculum: 4H Curriculum
Inputs: 4H agent and assistant
Date: Monthly
Project or Activity: Health Rocks
Content or Curriculum: 4H and FCS curriculums
Inputs: 4H agent and assistant
Date: Monthly
Project or Activity: Sewing Classes
Content or Curriculum: FCS and 4H curriculums
Inputs: FCS and 4H agents, MCV, and assistants
Date: Monthly
Project or Activity: Cook Together, Eat Together
Content or Curriculum: FCS curriculums
Inputs: FCS Agent and assistant
Date: Spring 2022
Project or Activity: 4-H Global Food
Content or Curriculum: 4H backpack adventure curriculum
Inputs: 4H agents and assistant
Date: Spring 2022
Project or Activity: Disaster Prep Series
Content or Curriculum: EDEN, FCS & 4-H materials
Inputs: ANR, FCS, & 4-H Agents
Date: Fall/Winter 2021 & 2022
Project or Activity: Recipe Club of the Month
Content or Curriculum: Plate it up Kentucky Proud, SNAP Calendars, Cook Wild KY
Inputs: FCS Agent
Date: Monthly
Author: Nanette Banks
Major Program: Plate It Up! Kentucky Proud
Research shows that a diet rich in fruits and vegetables can help protect against several chronic diseases, such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and some cancers. According to the CDC just 12.2% of American adults meet the recommendations for fruits and 9.3% are meeting recommendations for vegetables. The CDC also reports that Americans are eating fruit once per day and vegetables 1.7 times per day. Kentucky falls even further below the national averages with only
Author: Nanette Banks
Major Program: Food Preparation and Preservation
Cast iron cookware is long lasting cookware that is a staple of many southern cooks. Cast iron cookware is very durable and even adds an extra boost of nutrition to some foods (J Food Science. 2002:67(9):3301-3). They are also readily available at discount stores and are often handed down from one generation to another (since they are almost impossible to ruin), making them an affordable choice for families with limited resources. Cast iron cookware provides a connection with the past and
Author: Nanette Banks
Major Program: Active Living and Health Promotions General
Despite the growing number of cancer treatments and improved outcomes with cancer diagnoses, Kentucky continues to have the highest occurrences and death rates in the United States. For those going through treatment or those working with a loved one experiencing cancer, food, and nutrition can be a challenge. In order to help those in need, the Letcher County Extension Family & Consumer Sciences Agent hosted the Kick Kentucky Cancer: Managing Nutrition during Cancer program for the
Author: Nanette Banks
Major Program: Active Living and Health Promotions 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. Dr. Crandall trained 60 UK FCS extens
Author: Nanette Banks
Major Program: Food Preparation and Preservation
Many individuals and families have taken an interest in Food Preservation in the last year. There is a lot of misinformation online about best practices for food preservation. Safety when preserving food should be a priority and research-based methods should always be used. With this information in mind The Letcher County Extension Agent for Family and Consumer Sciences conducted three in-person Food Preservation Workshops. One of these workshops was conducted in collaboration with CANE Kitchen
