Extension
It Starts With Us
Nutrition and Food Access, Physical Activity, Health and Wellness, and Personal Safety
Promoting Healthy Lifestyle Choices
Flowers, Hogancamp, Bell
Substance Use Recovery - FCS
Leadership
Communications & Expressive Arts
Active Living and Health Promotions General
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. The 2017 County Health Rankings from the Robert Woods Johnson Foundation ranked the county 63rd out of 120 counties. The county obesity rate is 33%.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. Additionally, the Centers for Disease Control found in a nationally representative survey that only 29% of high school youth participated in at least 60 minutes of physical activity on each of the seven days before the survey. Participation in physical activity decreases as we age, which makes it even more important that making healthy lifestyle choices begins at a young age.
Carlisle County Extension advisory councils identified programs related to nutrition, cooking, physical activity, and health as very important to address community concerns surrounding this topic. In Carlisle County, 32% of the population has hypertension. In 2008, there were 200 cancer deaths, 205 from heart disease and 41 from stroke. These statistics are from the 2008 report from the Foundation for Healthy Kentucky. According to the Kids Count Carlisle County Data Profile from 2015, 31% of youth in the county are living in poverty and 16% of youth in the county are uninsured. Additionally, concerns regarding individual and family resiliency, stress management, and mental health were identified by the Healthy Carlisle Health Coalition as community concerns to address through Extension and partner programs.
- 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.
- Practice healthy food choices and strengthen individuals’ ability to build healthy eating plans and patterns.
- 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
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 disease
- Risky behaviors and their consequences
- Stress management
- Self-esteem and confidence
Initial Outcome:
Outcome: Sampling of nutritious foods by youth and adults
Indicator: Participation
Method: Observation
Timeline: Academic year
Outcome: Increased knowledge about the consequences drug and alcohol abuse in youth
Indicator: Scores on post tests
Method: Post-tests
Timeline: As scheduled
Outcome: Knowledge and awareness of healthy lifestyle choices
Indicator: 4-H Core Curriculum Evaluations
Method: Post-tests
Timeline: At the conclusion of programs
Intermediate Outcome:
Outcome: Positive lifestyle changes by SNAP-Ed participants
Indicator: NEERS quarterly reports
Method: NEERS quarterly reports
Timeline: Ongoing
Outcome: Reduced tendencies toward drug and alcohol abuse in youth
Indicator: Scores on post tests
Method: Post-tests
Timeline: As scheduled
Outcome: Implementation of healthy lifestyle choices
Indicator: 4-H Core Curriculum Evaluations
Method: Post-tests
Timeline: At the conclusion of programs
Long-term Outcome:
Outcome: Maintenance of healthy lifestyle choices
Indicator: County-level health and nutrition data
Method: National and state data sources
Timeline: 2025
Audience: 8th grade youth
Project or Activity: Truth & Consequences
Content or Curriculum: Truth & Consequences curriculum
Date: 2024-2025
Audience: Youth ages 9-18
Project or Activity: Cooking Club
Content or Curriculum: 4-H Cooking 101, Plate it Up curriculum
Date: 2024-2025
Audience: Preschool and elementary school youth
Project or Activity: LEAP and Professor Popcorn
Content or Curriculum: LEAP and Professor Popcorn
Date: 2024-2025
Audience: Preschool and elementary youth
Project or Activity: Germbusters
Content or Curriculum: Handwashing resources from Extension
Date: Fall 2024
Audience: Preschool and Primary Students
Project or Activity: LEAP - Preschool and Primary
Content or Curriculum: LEAP Curriculum
Inputs: Extension Staff FCS, Ag, Pre-K and Head Start,
Date: 2024-2025
Audience: Adults
Project or Activity: Get Fit Carlisle County
Content or Curriculum: Weight the Reality Series, Making Healthy Life Style Choices, General FCS Nutrition Publication, FitBlue
Inputs: FCS Agent, Challenge Runner, Social Media- Facebook Group, UK Health and Wellness
Date: 2024-2025 Program Year
Audience: Adults
Project or Activity: DIET FREE
Content or Curriculum: DIET FREE and Weight the Reality Series Curriculum
Inputs: FCS Agent, Purchase District Health Department
Date: 2024-2025
Audience: General Adult Population
Project or Activity: Holiday and Summer Zero Weight Gain Challenge
Content or Curriculum: UK Health and Wellness, FCS General Health Publications
Inputs: FCS Agent, Social Media- Facebook Group
Date: Thanksgiving to Christmas Holiday Break/ Summer Break
Audience: Adults with Diabetes or Family with Diabetes
Project or Activity: Taking Ownership of Diabetes
Content or Curriculum: Taking Ownership of Diabetes
Inputs: FCS Agent, Purchase District Health Department, Diabetes Coalition
Date: Support Group Once a Month through 2024-2025 program year
Audience: Older Adults and Caregivers
Project or Activity: Dementia Awareness/Caregiver Support
Content or Curriculum: Know the 10 Signs w/ the Alzheimer’s Association
Inputs: FCS Agent, Alzheimer's Association, Carlisle County Senior Center
Date: 2024-2025
Audience: Low-income parents
Project or Activity: Angels on Earth classes
Content or Curriculum: Money Management
Date: Fall 2024
Audience: Youth ages 9-18
Project or Activity: Baking Project Day
Content or Curriculum: 4-H Cooking Series
Date: Summer 2025
Audience: Youth ages 9-18
Project or Activity: Food Preservation Project Day
Content or Curriculum: 4-H Cooking Series
Date: Summer 2024 & 2025
Inputs:
- Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service (CES) agents, program assistants, and volunteers
- Kentucky CES publications and resources
- Local, state and federal health agencies
- United States Department of Agriculture
- Public and private health organizations
- Registered dietitians
- Medical professionals
- Chronic disease advocacy organization
- Kentucky Diabetes Network
- Non-profit agencies
- Kentucky Extension Homemakers Association (KEHA)
- Faith-based organizations
- Schools
- Local businesses
- Community coalitions and organizations
- Government
- Local ASAP
- 4-H Council
- Curriculum and lessons
Author: Brooke Hogancamp
Major Program: Active Living and Health Promotions General
According to the National Initiative for Children’s Healthcare Quality (NICHQ), 31.6% of U.S. children ages 10-17 are considered obese or overweight; Kentucky ranks higher than the national average, with 37.1% (NICHQ 2023). One contributing factor to these statistics is the high amounts of sugar this age group is exposed to and consumes, often unknowingly.Sugar Sneakers is a program aimed at increasing awareness of sugar consumption, specifically the amount of added sugars people unknowing
Author: Brooke Hogancamp
Major Program: Active Living and Health Promotions General
It is estimated that only 12% of the U.S. adult population is considered fully “health literate.” This means that almost 9 out of 10 adults are at or below basic levels of health literacy. They have a hard time understanding and using basic health information to make informed decisions about their personal health. Unfortunately, those who experience poor health literacy are also more likely to experience poor health outcomes. Health literacy is a primary goal within Healthy People 20
