Extension
It Starts With Us
Adapting Healthy Lifestyle Choices for Overall Wellbeing
Making Healthy Lifestyle Choices
Kelly Bland
Building Healthy Coalitions
Substance Use Recovery - FCS
Active Living and Health Promotions General
Kentucky is identified as a high risk state for farm accidents and fatalities, obesity, chronic health conditions, which effects overall well-being. McLean County has a reported 14% (20.0%-12.0%) of residents who have been diagnosed with diabetes (County Diabetes Atlas, McLean County in 2012). Furthermore, 28% (43.1%- 28.8%) of adults who are obese and 34% (39.0-24.6) of adults lack physical activity. Only 16% eat the recommended servings of fruits and vegetables.The goal of the making healthy lifestyle choices is to reverse these trends by working with various organizations, agencies and groups to promote the health and wellness of McLean County.
Source: CDC County Diabetes Atlas
•Decrease in the number of farm related accidents and fatalities.
•Decrease in the number of obese and overweight children, youth, adults and elderly by 2% by the year 2024-2025.
•Increase in the practice and promotion of physical activity and healthy eating daily by 2% by the year 2024-2025.
- Decrease drug, alcohol, and tobacco use by 2% by the year 2025
•Citizens practice healthy food choices and strengthen individual’s ability to build healthy eating plan and patterns.
•Citizens practice healthy lifestyle decision making that strengthen individual’s ability to cope with normal life songstress.
•Practice of physical activity in families and communities and decreased time spent on sedentary behaviors.
•Farm families practicing farm safety procedures.
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
•Farm families being able to identify hazards on the farm.
Outcome: Long term
Indicator: Number of citizens reporting an increase in physical activity, healthy food choices, and over all well-being.
Method: Survey, county health statistics
Timeline: 3- 4 years
Outcome: Long-term
Indicator: Decrease in the number of youth who report use/abuse of substance and alcohol abuse.
Method: Survey, county health statistics, and McLean County school reports
Timeline: 3-4 years
Evaluation:
Outcome: Long term
Indicator: Decrease in the number of adult, youth, and elderly who are obese/overweight
Method: Survey, county health statistics
Timeline: 3- 4 years
Evaluation:
Outcome: Long term
Indicator: Decrease in the number of farm related accidents reported.
Method: Observation, county statistics, data.
Timeline: 3-4 years
Evaluation:
Outcome: Intermediate
Indicator: Implementation of one or more safety procedures by farm families and employees.
Method: survey
Timeline: 6 months to 1 year
Evaluation:
Outcome: Intermediate
Indicator: Application of knowledge and skills to think critically to solve problems regarding health life choices.
Method: Survey, interview, follow up calls
Timeline: 6 months to 1 year
Evaluation:
Outcome: Intermediate
Indicator: An increase in the number of Citizens who practice healthy food choices and strengthen individual’s ability to build healthy eating plan and patterns.
Method: Survey, interview, follow up calls
Timeline: 6 months to 1 year
Evaluation:
Outcome: Intermediate
Indicator: Increase in individuals and families physical activity time and a decrease in time spent on sedentary behaviors
Timeline: 6 months to 1 year
Evaluation:
Outcome: Intermediate
Indicator: Community partners advocate for policy changes and increase marketing efforts to increase awareness and change relating to substance abuse in McLean County,
Timeline: 6 months to 1 year
Evaluation
Outcome: Initial
Indicator: Individuals can identify farm related safety hazards.
Method: survey and group discussion.
Timeline: 3 to 6 months
Evaluation:
Outcome: Initial
Indicator: 2% of program participants who report increased awareness and knowledge of healthy lifestyles choices and overall wellness.
Method: Evaluations and group discussion
Timeline: 3 – 6 months
Evaluation: Initial
Indicator: Number of community partners and youth who have gained knowledge of the resources that are available for substance abuse in our community as a result of Extension programming.
Method: survey and group discussion
Timeline: 3-6 months
Evaluation: Initial
Indicator: Increase in number of students who indicate they developed a better understanding of health, emotional, financial, risk and harm, and where to access help for substance abuse issues.
Method: Survey and group discussion
Timeline: 3-6 months
Audience: McLean County residents
Project or Activity: Longest day of play
Content or Curriculum: UK Publications, eXtension.
Inputs: Agents, volunteers, community partners, UK Specialist.
Date: June 2025
Audience: Referred families from McLean County School
Project or Activity: A Taste of Thanksgiving
Content or Curriculum: HEEL, Kentucky CES publications and resources.
Inputs: Agents, volunteers, UK specialist, public and private health organizations
Date: November 2024
Audience: McLean County High School Students
Project or Activity: Truth and Consequence
Content or Curriculum: Truth and Consequence
Inputs: Agents, UK specialist, volunteers, community partners.
Date: October 2024
Audience: McLean County Residents
Project or Activity: Plate It Up KY Proud at Farmers Market and other events
Content or Curriculum: Plate It UP KY Proud resources, UK Publications, and Specialist.
Inputs: Agents, Community Partners, Local Farmers Market Venders, UK specialist.
Date: July 2024 to June 2025
Audience: Cooking through the Calendar
Project or Activity: Healthy cooking and meal preparation
Content or Curriculum: SNAP Calendars, FCS Publications and Healthy Choices for Everybody Curriculum
Inputs: Agents, Community Partners, UK Specialist
Date: July 2024- August 2025
Audience: McLean County Youth
Project or Activity: Super Star Chef
Content or Curriculum: Super Star Chef Curriculum
Inputs: Agents, Community Partners, UK Specialist, and volunteers
Date: July 2024
Author: Kelly Bland
Major Program: Active Living and Health Promotions General
In McLean County, a transformative Tai Chi program designed specifically for individuals with arthritis and balance concerns has brought together 12 enthusiastic participants over the age of 65. This initiative, aimed at enhancing physical well-being and improved mental health, has proven to be a resounding success. Each session, led by our FCS Extension Agent who is a certified instructor, focuses on gentle movements and mindful breathing techniques that not only improve balance and flexibility
