Scott County CES

Title:

Promoting Physical and Mental Health

MAP:

Healthy Individuals, Families, and Communities

Agents Involved:

Brewer, Faris, Flynt, Redmon

MAJOR PROGRAM 1:

Health

MAJOR PROGRAM 2:

Building Healthy Coalitions

MAJOR PROGRAM 3:

Active Living and Health Promotions General

MAJOR PROGRAM 4:

Community Gardens and Horticulture Therapy

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 is currently 34.3%.  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.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), moderate-intensity level activity for 2.5 hours each week can reduce the risk for obesity, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis, heart disease, stroke, depression, colon cancer and premature death. The CDC considers gardening a moderate-intensity level activity and can help individuals to achieve that 2.5-hour goal each week. Additionally, those that choose gardening as their moderate-intensity exercise are more likely to exercise 40-50 minutes longer on average than those that choose activities like walking or biking. By venturing outdoors to private and community gardens, individuals assist in keeping their community vital, as well as improving their own health and well-being.

Long-Term Outcomes:

• A decrease in the number of obese and overweight children, youth, adults and elderly
• Increase in the practice and promotion of physical activity and healthy eating daily
• Improvement in the built environment to promote physical activity and healthy eating
• Improvement in the mental health and wellbeing of Kentuckians
• Manage and prevent the risk, debilitation, and premature death related to diabetes, cancer, heart disease, stroke and hypertension
• Increase the estimated health savings in dollars for chronic disease.
• Increase policies that address obesity, physical inactivity and promotion of poor nutrition

Intermediate Outcomes:

• Maintain appropriate calorie balance during each stage of life: childhood, adolescence, adulthood, pregnancy and breastfeeding and older age
• Practice of physical activity in families and communities and decreased time spent on sedentary behaviors
• Community members advocate for policy
• Changes related to obesity, physical activity and healthy eating.
• Strengthen community coalitions or partnerships to address obesity, physical inactivity and chronic disease.
• 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 that reduce the level of obesity
• Reduction of chronic illnesses

Evaluation:

Initial Outcome: Individuals will become more aware of skills needed to make informed choices regarding health.

Indicator: Distribution of knowledge

Method: newsletters, social media posts, workshops, training

Timeline: year round

Intermediate Outcome: Clients will become more physically active,

Indicator: participation in physical activity,grow their own fruit and vegetables

Method: second Sunday event, get moving curriculum, community gardening,

Timeline: year round

Long-term Outcome: Clients will have improved their overall health.

Indicator: reduced instances of obesity, reduced chronic disease occurrences, more physical activity participation

Method: get moving curriculum, newsletters, social media posts, publications, trainings and workshops, Second Sunday event

Timeline: Year round

Learning Opportunities:

Audience: Youth

Project or Activity: 4-H after school Cooking 

Content or Curriculum: myplate

Inputs: materials, staff, curriculum, partners

Date: year round

Audience: General public and youth

Project or Activity: Health Fairs and Screening Events

Content or Curriculum: MyPlate, Embracing Aging, Grants. 

Inputs: Alzheimer's association, UK Health Care, local health department, publications, materials, supplies

Date: Year round

Audience: Youth

Project or Activity: Adventure program

Content or Curriculum: Natural Resources Curriculum, Master Naturalist program  

Inputs: Curriculum, State Parks, National Parks, County Agent, Department of Forestry, Department of Fish & Wildlife

Date: Monthly

Audience: Adults

Project or Activity: Gardening

Content or Curriculum: Basic Gardening, Master Gardener Curriculum, Community Gardens

Inputs: Staff, Curriculum, Materials

Date: Spring, Summer, Fall  

Audience: Farmers 

Project or Activity: Farm Dinner Theater 

Content or Curriculum: Mental Health Curriculum 

Inputs: Staff, Curriculum, Materials

Date: Winter 

Audience: 4-H Youth 

Project or Activity: Physical Activity Club 

Content or Curriculum: 4-H Curriculum 

Inputs: Staff, Curriculum, Materials

Date: Monthly  

Audience: Adults

Project or Activity: Community Garden

Content or Curriculum: Basic Gardening, Master Gardener Curriculum, 

Inputs: Staff, Curriculum, Materials

Date: Spring, Summer, Fall  

Audience: Adults 

Project or Activity: Wellness with Chronic Illness 

Content: Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP)/FCS Curriculum 

Inputs: Staff, FCS resources, grants, UK Health Care, etc.

Date: Year Round 

Audience: Senior Adults 

Project or Activity: Low Impact Exercise Opportunities and Bingocize

Content:  Bingocize, 5Ks, Gentle Yoga, Wellness Curriculum. 

Inputs: Staff, FCS resources, grants, UK Health Care, etc.

Date: Year Round 

Audience: Adults, Youth

Activity:  Rehabilitation Garden Program 

Content or Curriculum:  Recovery Garden Toolkit; grant money, SNAP-Ed  and UK - CAFE publications, staff, equipment, volunteers

Date:  Spring, Summer and Fall

Audience: Farmers 

Project or Activity: Raising Hope, KDA

Content:  Promoting mental health and awareness in the Ag Industry

Inputs: Staff, materials, publications

Date: Year Round 

Audience: Farmers 

Project or Activity: Farm Estate Planning 

Content: Estate planning information, grief information

Inputs: Staff, materials, publications

Date: Fall