Green County CES

Title:

Making Healthy Lifestyle Choices

MAP:

Family and Consumer Sciences

Agents Involved:

Jordan Crain

MAJOR PROGRAM 1:

Keys to Embracing Aging

MAJOR PROGRAM 2:

Food Preservation

MAJOR PROGRAM 3:

Keys to Embracing Aging

MAJOR PROGRAM 4:

Youth Fruit & Vegetable Access

Situation:

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.

Long-Term Outcomes:

•Green County will see a decrease in the number of obese and overweight children, youth, adults and elderly.
•Green County will increase in the practice and promotion of physical activity and healthy eating daily.
•Green County will see an improvement in the built environment to promote physical activity and healthy eating.
•Green County will see an improvement in the mental health and well-being of Kentuckians.
•Green County will manage and prevent the risk, debilitation, and premature death related to diabetes, cancer, heart disease, stroke and hypertension.
•Green County will increase the estimated health savings in dollars for chronic disease.
•Green County will increase policies that address obesity, physical inactivity and promotion of poor nutrition.

Intermediate Outcomes:

•Green County Citizens will practice healthy food choices and strengthen individuals’ ability to build healthy eating plans and patterns.
•Green County Citizens will maintain appropriate calorie balance during each stage of life: childhood, adolescence, adulthood, pregnancy and breastfeeding and older age.
•Green County Citizens will practice of physical activity in families and communities and decreased time spent on sedentary behaviors.
•Community members will advocate for policy.
•Green County Citizens will practice changes related to obesity, physical activity and healthy eating.
•Green County will strengthen community coalitions or partnerships to address obesity, physical inactivity and chronic disease.
•Green County Citizens will practice healthy lifestyle decision-making that strengthen individuals’ ability to cope with normal life stressors.

Initial Outcomes:

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 reduce the level of obesity
•Reduction of chronic disease

Evaluation:

Initial Outcome: Adult Weight Management
Indicator: Of the total number of families.caregivers reached with information on accessing healthy foods the number of families/caregivers reached that gained knowledge about eating more healthy foods.
Method: Featured Program Questions, Questionnaire on healthy eating habits, Pre and Post evaluation exercises.
Timeline: July-June

Intermediate Outcome: Green County will strengthen community coalitions and/or partnerships to address obesity, physical inactivity and chronic disease.
Indicator: Number on ongoing coalitions with which Extension is involved.
Method: Number of physical activity opportunities, number of people in attendance.
Timeline: July-June

Long-term Outcome: Green County will increase in the practice and promotion of physical activity and healthy eating daily.
Indicator: Of the total number of families/caregivers reached that gained knowledge about eating more healthy foods.
Method: Featured program questions, questionnaire on healthy eating habits; Pre and Post Evaluation exercises.
Timeline: July-June

Learning Opportunities:

Audience: General Public most appropriate for those over 18

Project or Activity: Keys to Embracing Aging

Content or Curriculum: Keys to Embracing Aging

Inputs: FCS Agent, Specialist, Volunteers

Date: June 2017-February 2018

Audience: Preschool aged children

Project or Activity: Literacy, Eating, Activity for Primary (LEAP)

Content or Curriculum: LEAP

Inputs: FCS Agent, preschool and daycares

Date: September-April 2017,2018,2019

Audience: General Public

Project or Activity: Food Preservation Workshop

Content or Curriculum: Food Preservation Publications

Inputs: FCS Agent and Specialists

Date: June 2017

Audience: General Public

Project or Activity: Keys To Embracing Aging

Content or Curriculum: Keys to Embracing Aging Publications

Inputs: FCS Agents and Specialists

Date: April 2017-March 2018

Success Stories