Extension
It Starts With Us
Improve Physical and Mental Health
Making Healthy Lifestyle Choices
Rachel Hance, Carrie Derossett, Leann Martin
Active Living and Health Promotions General
Health
Local Food Systems
Cook Together, Eat Together
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. 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.
Healthy living is one of three 4-H mission mandates and encompasses: physical activity, personal safety, mental health, addiction prevention, and diversity and inclusion. In Kentucky, 37% of youth 10-17 are overweight or obese, and 51% report not exercising regularly. 25% of youth report some form of emotional or behavioral condition and suicide rates are at record high (KY suicides per 100,000 people: 15.3, 10th highest in the nation). Substance Use Disorder and Mental Health disease can affect anyone, with 1,160 reported opioid-involved deaths (a rate of 27.9 deaths per 100,000 persons) in Kentucky and Vaping nearly doubled among middle and high school students - with 27% of high school seniors reporting they had tried the product in 2018.
-Increase in the practice and promotion of physical activity and healthy eating daily
-Reduced fatalities
-Reduced number of children in foster care
-Reduced incarceration
-Increased number of youth maintaining positive healthy habits
-Increased number of youth at a lower risk for serious disease and illness
-Increased number of youth at a lower risk for physical and emotional distress
-Reduce the number of youth reporting drug, alcohol, and tobacco use
- Increased number of families continuously finding ways to purchase locally grown fruits and vegetables
- Families continue traditions of home gardening
- Families utilizing Extension education to preserve garden produce
-Changes related to obesity, physical activity and healthy eating
-Increased adoption and mastery of healthy behaviors that lead to a healthy lifestyle
-New coalitions developed to address suicide and mental health
-Improved access and utilization of resources
-Improved perceived stress and ability to cope
-Youth will practice refusal skills
-Youth will intervene to prevent use/abuse
-Agents train in Youth Mental Health First Aid
- Residents grow their own fruits and vegetables in home gardens
- Residents seek out additional Extension programming in garden production
-Change in awareness, knowledge, opinions, skills, and attitudes needed to make informed choices regarding:
-Healthy lifestyle choices
-Adult weight management
-Practice and promotion of daily physical activity
-Improved in awareness of health concerns for youth
-Improved education about suicide and mental health
-Improved education about diversity and inclusion
-Reduced stigma of individuals with suicide and mental health disease
-Improved understanding of the consequences of risk behaviors
-Promote optimal physical, social, and emotional health habits
- Increased number of families purchasing locally grown fruits and vegetables
- Increased awareness of local food options
- Increased number of youth and adults participating in gardening programs and projects
Initial Outcome: Change in awareness, knowledge, opinions, skills, and attitudes needed to make informed choices regarding:
Healthy lifestyle choices
Adult weight management
Practice and promotion of daily physical activity
Indicator: Individuals will show more knowledge and a more positive attitude toward making healthier lifestyle choices including more physical activity and healthier eating habits
Method: Survey and verbal question/answer session
Timeline: At end of program
Intermediate Outcome: Changes related to obesity, physical activity and healthy eating
Indicator: Individuals will show more involvement in physical activity and incorporating healthy eating choices into their diets
Method: Mail out or email survey
Timeline: 3-6 weeks following program
Long-term Outcome: Increase in the practice and promotion of physical activity and healthy eating daily
Indicator: Individuals will show more involvement in physical activity and incorporating healthy eating choices into their diets daily
Method: Mail out or email follow up survey
Timeline: 8-10 weeks following program
Outcome to be evaluated
Number of youth who indicated they learned about healthy food choices through 4-H programs
Method of Evaluation
Number of youth who were educated on health and well-being through 4-H programs? (KOSA)
Number of youth who indicated they made healthy lifestyle choices as a result of what they learned through 4-H Programming? (Practice)
Number of youth who indicated they increased their daily number of servings of fruits and vegetables eaten as a result of 4-H programs? (Practice) Number of youth who indicated "yes or usually" to the Common Measures Experience Survey Question #6 "Is 4-H A place where you get to figure out things for yourself?" (SEEC)
Number of youth who indicated "yes or usually" to the Common Measures Experience Survey Question #13 "Is 4-H a place where you have a chance to be a leader?" (SEEC)
Audience: General Public
Project or Activity: Get Fit Logan County
Content or Curriculum: UK publications and resources
Inputs: Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service (CES) agents, program assistants, specialists and volunteers; Kentucky CES publications and resources, United States Department of Agriculture
Date: July 2023-June 2024
Audience: Extension Homemakers
Project or Activity: Home Remedies
Content or Curriculum: UK publications and resources
Inputs: Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service (CES) agents, program assistants, specialists and volunteers; Kentucky CES publications and resources, United States Department of Agriculture
Date: July 2023
Audience: Extension Homemakers
Project or Activity: Focus on Fun: Pickle Ball
Content or Curriculum: UK publications and resources
Inputs: Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service (CES) agents, program assistants, specialists and volunteers; Kentucky CES publications and resources, United States Department of Agriculture
Date: January 2024
Audience: Extension Homemakers
Project or Activity: Time Well Spent: Organizing Tips for Increased Productivity
Content or Curriculum: UK publications and resources
Inputs: Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service (CES) agents, program assistants, specialists and volunteers; Kentucky CES publications and resources, United States Department of Agriculture
Date: March 2024
Audience: Everyone
Project or Activity: Mental Health
Content or Curriculum: Building Character and Social-Emotional Learning, Mindful Me, Centering on me, Youth Mental Health First Aid
Training: Agent In-services
Audience: Everyone, Safety Day (all 4th graders in public schools)
Project or Activity: Personal Safety
Content or Curriculum: Code name: Home Alone, Keeping Fit and Healthy-First Aid in Action, Headlines for Health
Training: Agent In-services
Audience: School-aged youth
Project or Activity: Physical Health
Content or Curriculum: 4-H DanceFit, Get Moving Kentucky, Keeping Fit & Healthy, SPARK, Steps to Healthy Teen, Bicycling for fun, wheels in motion, Outdoor Adventures
Training: Agent In-services
Audience: all youth
Project or Activity: Diversity and Inclusion
Content or Curriculum: Building Character and Social-Emotional Learning, Essential Elements, Diversity; The source of Our Strength, Be SAFE: Safe, Affirming, and Fair Environments, Black History, 4-H LIFE
Training: Agent In-services
Audience: everyone
Project or Activity: Addiction Prevention
Content or Curriculum: Health Rocks!, Youth Mental Health First Aid, Truth and Consequences
Training: Agent In-services
Audience: Residents
Project or Activity: Community gardens and Home gardening Courses
Content or Curriculum: Home Gardening, Home gardening pest control, Gardening in small spaces,
Training: Agent In-services
Inputs: Agent time, community partners, Elementary Schools, Sponsors, USDA conservation Office
Dates: Spring/Summer 2023; Spring/Summer 2024
