Extension
It Starts With Us
Improving Nutrition and Healthy Lifestyles
Health and Wellness
Elizabeth Coots, Ryan Farley, Faye Kuosman, Adam Probst
Active Living and Health Promotions General
Substance Use Prevention and Recovery General
Health
Family and Consumer Science
Local stakeholders have listed healthy lifestyles as an issue facing Woodford County today. It is important to address the issues of overall well-being of individuals and families throughout the county. According to the Community and Economic Development Initiative of Kentucky, approximately 32% of Woodford County adults are classified as obese. In addition, approximately 11% of adults suffer from diabetes. Other lifestyle challenges facing Woodford County include cardiovascular disease, breast and prostate cancer. Within all of these areas of focus, financial stability arises as access to health care is an added area of concern.
Consumption of nutritious foods and healthier cooking practices will be increased. Rates of youth and adult obesity will decrease. Participation in life skills workshops such as cooking and food preservation will increase.
Farmer's Market and local food purchases will increase, as well as the intake of fresh fruits and vegetables. Clientele will increase their currrent level of physical activity.
Clientele will identify the benefits of buying local, seasonal foods and will develop skills for healthier food selection, cooking and preservation. Clientele will also be able to explain why physical activity is important to their daily life.
Long-Term Outcome: Consumption of nutritious foods and healthier cooking practices will be increased. Rates of youth and adult obesity will decrease. Participation in life skills workshops such as cooking and food preservation will increase.
Indicator: Reduced rates of youth and adult obesity in Woodford County
Method: Data review from Foundation for a Healthy KY, Woodford Co Health Department
Timeline: Annually
Intermediate Outcome: Farmer's Market and local food purchases will increase, as well as the intake of fresh fruits and vegetables. Clientele will increase their currrent level of physical activity.
Indicator: Sales data from Woodford County Farmer's Market
Method: Collection of data from vendors, market review summary from Market Manager
Timeline: Annually
Initial Outcome: Clientele will identify the benefits of buying local, seasonal foods and will develop skills for healthier food selection, cooking and preservation. Clientele will also be able to explain why physical activity is important to their daily life.
Indicator: Workshop participation and participant feedback
Method: Post workshop interviews with participants, written evaluations
Timeline: Monthly
Project or Activity: Hands-on and virtual cooking workshops
Content or Curriculum: Cook Together, Eat Together
Inputs: Agent/Program Assistant Time, Health Department, Schools, Public Library
Date: Fall
Audience: 5th grade youth
Project or Activity: Hands-on and virtual cooking program
Content or Curriculum: Recipes for Life
Inputs: Agent/Program Assistant Time, Schools, SNAP-Ed, Family Resource Centers
Date: Fall
Audience: Community Residents
Project or Activity: Canning Workshops
Content or Curriculum: Food Preservation Curriculum
Inputs: Agent/Program Assistant/Intern Time, CES Publications, Commercial Kitchen, NCHFP Resources
Date: Summer
Audience: Residents Age 55+
Project or Activity: Bingocize
Content or Curriculum: WKU Bingocize Curriculum
Inputs: Agent Time, Senior Citizens Centers/Homes
Date: Fall
Audience: 8th and 10th grade students
Project or Activity: Truth & Consequences: The Choice is Yours
Content or Curriculum: Truth & Consequences: The Choice is Yours Curriculum
Inputs: Agent/Program Assistant Time, Volunteers, Community Sponsors, School Sponsors
Audience: Middle School Students
Project or Activity: Botvin Life Skills
Content or Curriculum: Botvin Life Skills Curriculum
Inputs: Agent/Program Assistant Time, Community Agencies, Middle School Guidance Counselors
Audience: Woodford County Residents
Audience: Farmer's Market Promotion events and articles
Content: per agent, UK materials
Inputs: County Office Staff and Agents
Date: spring, summer, fall, annually
Audience: 4-H Youth
Project or Activity: 4-H Cooking Club/Culinary Challenge
Content or Curriculum: Cooking curriculum
Inputs: Agent/Program Assistant Time, Materials
Date: September - Fall
Author: M. Elizabeth Coots
Major Program: Food Preparation and Preservation
About a third (31%, 2019) of Woodford County residents are obese according to County Health Rankings and Roadmaps. Cooking at home may be one strategy that people may implement to encourage weight loss and healthy eating. People who frequently cook meals at home eat healthier and consume fewer calories than those who cook less, according to the John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health research. Before COVID, these cooking demonstrations were he
Author: M. Elizabeth Coots
Major Program: Food Preparation and Preservation
Using Charcuterie Boards as a type of food service has seen a rise in interest and popular culture. Although this method of food service has been around for many years, the current trend has switched it up to be all in compassing of different types of foods and different types of serving vessels. Always wanting to be current and informative, the Fort Harrod Area Family and Consumer Sciences Extension Agents hosted a combination virtual and in-person, multi-site Charcuterie Boards Program to addr
Author: Ryan Farley
Major Program: Health
Providing opportunities for youth to develop healthy lifestyle habits is a major focus of both Kentucky 4-H and Woodford County Schools. Finding a way to reach students across the county in an engaging and interactive manner can be a challenge. One 4-H Curriculum available to help achieve this goal is the 4-H Yoga for Kids curriculum, which provides kids-oriented yoga lessons and poses in a fun and engaging manner. To address this issue, Woodford County 4-H has partnered with the Woodford County
Author: Ryan Farley
Major Program: Health
U.S. childhood obesity has tripled since 1980, with 9.5% of infants and toddlers and 16.9% of children ages 2 to 19 considered obese (Ogden, Carroll, Curtin, Lamb, & Flegal, 2010). Research shows that early childhood is the ideal time to establish a taste for healthy foods and a desire to try new things in order to encourage life-long, healthy habits. With childhood obesity a growing national issue, the 4-H, Family and Consumer Sciences, and Horticulture Agents conducted a 4-month farm to sc
Author: M. Elizabeth Coots
Major Program: Food Preparation and Preservation
Research is clear 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. Nationwide, it is estimated that only 12.2% of adult meet the recommended amount of fruits each day and only 9.3% meet recommendations for vegetables (CDC, 2018). Kentucky falls even further below the national averages with only 8.0% of adults meeting daily recommendations for fruits and 6.3% meeting
Author: Faye Kuosman
Major Program: Local Food Systems
U.S. childhood obesity has tripled since 1980, with 9.5% of infants and toddlers and 16.9% of children ages 2 to 19 considered obese (Ogden, Carroll, Curtin, Lamb, & Flegal, 2010). Research shows that early childhood is the ideal time to establish a taste for healthy foods and a desire to try new things in order to encourage life-long, healthy habits. Research also clearly shows that a diet rich in fruits and vegetables can help protect against several chronic diseases, such as obesity,
Author: M. Elizabeth Coots
Major Program: Local Food Systems
U.S. childhood obesity has tripled since 1980, with 9.5% of infants and toddlers and 16.9% of children ages 2 to 19 considered obese (Ogden, Carroll, Curtin, Lamb, & Flegal, 2010). Research shows that early childhood is the ideal time to establish a taste for healthy foods and a desire to try new things in order to encourage life-long, healthy habits. Research also clearly shows that a diet rich in fruits and vegetables can help protect against several chronic diseases, such as obesity,
