Campbell County adult residents face health challenges due to overweight (58%) and obesity (31%) with 8% of the adults being diagnosed with diabetes (kentuckyhealthfacts.org).  According to the Kentucky Public Health 2019 Kentucky Diabetes Fact Sheet, “diabetes is a public health epidemic and can be associated with complications such as:  heart disease, stroke, blindness, kidney failure, lower-limb amputation and ketoacidosis.  These can reduce length and quality of life.”  Because of such statistics and facts, the Campbell County Cooperative Extension Service hosted a much needed diabetes series called Healthy Living with Diabetes.   Healthy Living with Diabetes was a 2 day comprehensive program equipping people with diabetes with the necessary skills in order to maneuver such a life changing disease.  

The program was conducted by the Campbell County Cooperative Extension Service in collaboration with the Northern Kentucky Health Department, 1 catering entity and a local restaurant.  Thirty-four people attended day 1 of the program with 26 participants completing both days.  Ronda Rex, Agent for Family & Consumer Sciences Education, facilitated the program and utilized the University of Kentucky’s Mastering Food Choices, Making Healthy Lifestyle Choices, and Taking Ownership of Your Diabetes curriculum.   Ronda also demonstrated and taught participants to create recipes from the Plate It Up, Kentucky Proud Project and Oregon State University Food Hero.  The Mastering Food Choices was heavily utilized focusing on 4 of the curriculum’s components:  Mastering Food Choices, Modifying Recipes, Group Mealtime Dining In/Out, and Reviewing Menus.

Ronda facilitated catering for the first day by collaborating with Center Table:  Catering with a Purpose which is a catering and culinary training component of Brighton Recovery Center for women to help individuals achieve self-sufficiency.    Ronda and the Health Department’s Registered Dietitian and Certified Diabetes Educator, Julie Shapero, went over the Caterer’s menu discussed mastering food choices, recipe modifications, portion sizes, and how to make healthier options when eating in/out.  The focus was on key words to look for when catering in or dining out.  As a dietitian/diabetes educator, Julie honed in on blood glucose levels and carbohydrate counting and making overall healthier choices.  The second day, the Health Department had the meal catered in by partnering with McCalister’s Restaurant.   Ronda and Julie taught again as they did the first day with Julie analyzing different food choices and Ronda teaching about making healthier choices while still enjoying foods.  Both days, Ronda laid out ingredients for Plate It Up and Food Hero recipes for the participants to learn how to construct themselves.  Ronda focused on how to choose fruits wisely when living with diabetes. 

Paula Bergen, Registered Nurse and Certified Diabetes Educator for the Northern Kentucky Health Department and Julie taught about A1C, diabetes management, glucose monitoring, healthy eating, the diabetes disease process, problem solving, diabetes complications, being active (physically and mentally), and reducing risks.   The program focused on pre and post A1C’s as reported by the patients’ doctors and followed up by the Northern Kentucky Health Department. 

As a result of the program, 100% of the participants practiced one or more modifications in food preparation.  One hundred percent learned and practiced one or more skills while enjoying a catered meal.  Such skills included:  checking nutrition or calorie information, selecting water or a no calorie beverage and using portion control.  A 3-month follow-up conducted by the Health Department revealed the following: 75% of the class participants, for whom the Health Department received both pre and post program A1C values, either improved their A1C or kept it within normal range.  The largest improvement found one participant decreasing his/her A1C by 1.6, from 8.4 (high reading) to 6.8 (at goal).   Each participant set at least one goal (either a learning or behavioral goal) during the program.  Fifteen out of the 23 participants set a nutrition management goal and 87% of those participants reported achieving their nutrition management goal.