Welcome to Kentucky Family Policy

This blog is dedicated to examining issues facing the Commonwealth of Kentucky and providing a nonpartisan, family perspective on public policy making. We hope to provide a forum for Kentuckians to review and discuss current legislative actions and the issues such actions are attempting to address. The opinions expressed herein belong solely to the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the University of Kentucky, its affiliates, or its representatives.

What the authors of this blog will contribute:
1) Summarize current state, national, and international research related to topics relevant to current legilative actions.
2) Describe Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service programs and activities currently addressing issues related to legilative actions in the various counties.
3) Provide expert commentaries via podcasts and videocasts on issues relevant to current legilative actions.

Please see "Priority Bills" section on the right for a short list of the most current legislative actions relevant to the family focus of this blog

Wednesday, February 27, 2013

What's in the Doctor's Bag

The "What's in the Doctor's Bag" curriculum was offered to the two Head Start classes to introduce children to the doctor's office - the doctor's instruments and what they experience when going to the doctor. The program also introduced them to a different healthy food each month and showed the benefits of eating healthy. At the beginning of the class, only 90 percent of the students would try the foods presented, with 100 percent trying them at the end of the year. The teachers observed 85 percent of the class choosing healthier snacks at snack time. At the completion of the program, students were requested to name the instruments and describe what they were used for. About 98 percent of the students could name the instruments and their purpose. 
To see the entire Building Strong Families county profile for Butler county, please click the link.

Activity Matters

As a community partner in a Carole White grant, the Bullitt County Cooperative Extension agent for Family and Consumer Sciences organized several programs throughout the year at Brooks Elementary School addressing healthy lifestyle choices. Six nutritional education classes were offered to 783 school staff and parents. A physical activity competition was conducted among 20 school staff, who logged 4,199,594 steps over a 45-day period. The winner averaged 19,205 steps a day as she prepared food for the children. More than 150 people attended a family fun night to participate in a physical activity challenge. In a community struggling with obesity, physical activity programs such as these make an incremental change in the sedentary behaviors of both youth and adults. 
To see the entire Building Strong Families county profile for Bullitt county, please click the link.

Losing Weight in Breckinridge

In nine weeks, nine teams (34 people) lost 401.1 pounds and 178 inches. The top team lost 13.12 percent of their body weight. In eight weeks, 10 teams (43 participants) lost 180.2 pounds and 285.25 inches. The top team lost a total of 47.4 pounds and 10.21 percent of their body weight. These results are from people participating in the Breckinridge County Biggest Loser program. The programs last eight to 12 weeks have weekly weigh-ins, and initial and final weigh-ins and measurements (done at the Breckinridge County Extension Office). The Breckinridge County Family and Consumer Sciences agent offers classes throughout the program on nutrition and physical activity. One hundred percent of the participants plan to join again in an effort to reach their goal and get healthy. 
To see the entire Building Strong Families county profile for Breckinridge county, please click the link.

Teaching Healthy Cooking Basics

According to the Centers for Disease Control, Breathitt County has the highest adult obesity rate in the state at 39.6 percent. Factors that contribute to this problem, including poor eating habits, lack of physical activity, limited food preparation skills, were targeted during a six-week Healthy Cooking School featuring Cooperative Extension curricula.. Fifty-two people attended the school either at the Lifeskills Center or the Extension office. Each session provided a hands-on opportunity to practice a basic kitchen skill while preparing a simple recipe. Of the evaluations returned following the last session, 100 percent had used at least one of the basic skills at home, and 50 percent had used four or more of the skills at home; 66 percent reported that they had used some of the weight management tips. 
To see the entire Building Strong Families county profile for Breathitt county, please click the link.

Decreasing Stress For Health

The American Psychological Association suggests that while Americans' stress levels appear to be balancing out, they remain high and exceed what they consider to be healthy. Many Americans report extreme stress, findings that are indicative of a serious trend that could have long-term consequences on people's health. The Boyle County Family and Consumer Sciences agent presented the lesson "Mind/Body Connection" to reduce stress to 56 participants. Participants learned easy and affordable ways to stretch and engage in physical activity at home or work by using home goods as weights and creating natural resistances; and create an at-home environment to relax and rejuvenate. A post-survey showed: 93 percent of the participants' ability to recognize the effects of stress improved and 100 percent plan to apply strategies to manage stress. 
To see the entire Building Strong Families county profile for Boyle county, please click the link.

Wellness in Kentucky

The Bracken County Cooperative Extension Service's Family and Consumer Science agent partnered with the family resource center and the dance and fitness class at the Bracken County Middle School to offer eight weeks of nutritional and healthy education classes to their students. By using the "Wellness in Kentucky (WIN)" curriculum, lessons presented varied from fat content in foods to tasting your foods, from fruits and vegetables to calcium. There were a total of 40 students and three teachers in two classes. Overall, 95 percent of the students tried a fruit or vegetable they had never had before, with some stating they would try it again. Pre- and post-tests were given to see increased knowledge. On average, 95 percent of the students showed an increase in knowledge. 
To see the entire Building Strong Families county profile for Bracken county, please click the link.

Tuesday, February 12, 2013

Making Healthy Lifestyle Choices

The Boyd County Cooperative Extension Service's Nutrition Education Program paraprofessional taught 94 limited resource families how to serve more nutritious meals, to keep foods safe, and to utilize local food resources effectively. As a result, 91 percent of families made an improvement in the nutritional quality of their diet; 50 percent of program graduate families consumed a diet of higher quality because they planned meals using the food guide pyramid, considered healthy choices, and used the "Nutrition Facts" label; 57 percent of families increased the frequency of moderate physical activity for 30 minutes per day; 60 percent of families demonstrated an improvement in safe food handling practices and hand washing behavior; and 43 percent of families learned to plan meals ahead of time and use a grocery list.
To see the entire Building Strong Families county profile for Boyd county, please click the link.

Moving Forward With A Healthy Community

The 2nd Sunday program has been a yearly event sponsored by Bourbon County Cooperative Extension Service for the last four years. In 2011 more than 300 people participated. This has been the only community-wide event for several years that promotes getting out and getting moving. In particular, Bourbon County has been lacking a community-wide plan for walking and biking. In 2011-2012, the Pioneering Healthy Community Committee worked to develop and implement a local biking walkability plan. Extension has been a member of this committee since its inception. This year through education, the use of a community planner and community meetings, the city and county have adapted a county-wide plan for bike lanes and walking trails. This is a major step to support Bourbon County healthy lifestyles. 
To see the entire Building Strong Families county profile for Bourbon county, please click the link.

Making Healthy Lifestyle Choices

Helping adults learn about food and nutrition and the benefits of healthy lifestyle choices are the goals of the Boone County Cooperative Extension Service's Friday Food Fun Group. The program brings more than 40 adults together monthly to focus on one issue or topic related to food or nutrition. A written survey assessed the knowledge and behavior changes of those participants. Survey results showed: 96 percent improved their safe food-handling practices; 61 percent made changes to improve their health; and 63 percent eat more fruits and vegetables. Overall, participants have changed their eating habits to include more healthful food choices and may, therefore, end up with fewer chronic diseases and be less of a burden on the health care system. 
To see the entire Building Strong Families county profile for Boone county, please click the link.

Increasing Fruit and Vegetable Consumption

With obesity and poor oral health issues on the rise in 2012, Bell County educators sought ways to address these issues in their classrooms. By using the LEAP (Literacy, Eating and Activity for the Primary) curriculum, the Bell County Cooperative Extension Service, partnering with Family Resource Centers, was able to reach 400 students in preschool through second grade to encourage physical fitness, proper oral health, correct hand washing, and healthy eating by picking more fruits and vegetables. One hundred percent of the students gained knowledge on the correct way to wash hands and how to brush their teeth using a circular motion for the right amount of time. Teachers reported that 85 percent of the children aspired to incorporate more physical activity into their day while at school.
To see the entire Building Strong Families county profile for Bell county, please click the link.

Teaching Healthy Cooking Basics

The obesity rate in Kentucky increased 90 percent over the past 15 years. Recognizing that obese individuals are at increased risk for many chronic health conditions, the Bath County Cooperative Extension Service offered a series of classes called Healthy Cooking to encourage participants to prepare healthy home-cooked meals. The four-part series included sessions on stir frying, preparing fish and seafood, healthy dessert options, and adapting favorite recipes to lower fat, sodium and calories. Fifteen people attended the classes. Evaluations showed that 80 percent of participants learned to read more of the label information on foods, especially for sodium and sugar content. In a follow-up evaluation four months after the classes, 75 percent of participants reported regularly using the healthy recipes they learned in the classes.
To see the entire Building Strong Families county profile for Bath county, please click the link.