A Healthy Community: Northern Kentucky Physical Activity and Nutrition Programs

Breastfeeding Peer Counseling Program
A breastfeeding peer counseling program in Northern Kentucky is designed to encourage breastfeeding and assist mothers needing advice and guidance. It is provided by the Health Department and is open to any mother enrolled in the WIC (Women, Infants and Children) nutrition supplement program and who plans to breastfeed her child. For more information on the peer counseling program, please contact Cathy Winston at 859.363.2112. Learn more about the benefits of breastfeeding.

Diabetes Control Program 
One-to-one counseling and diabetes classes are available to anyone with diabetes and their family members. Patients are counseled by a Registered Nurse and Dietitian specializing in diabetes care. Interested persons can call their county health center for an appointment. This program is recognized by the American Diabetes Association as a quality education program.

Healthy Challenge
An annual program offered to elementary schools in March for National Nutrition Month promoting the importance of eating five servings of fruits and vegetables or more every day, as well as other healthy habits. Students participate in a fun, one-week challenge where they keep track on a chart every time they eat a serving of produce. Prizes are awarded to those students who complete the challenge, as well as to the top classroom in each school. Get more good information on how fruits and vegetables affect health, along with more tips on getting them into your daily diet, at http://www.fruitsandveggiesmorematters.org and http://www.fruitsandveggiesmatter.gov. For more information on National Nutrition Month visit http://www.eatright.org/nnm/. For more information on the Healthy Challenge, click here or contact Monica Smith, R.D., at 859.363.2114.

KY Fit Kids
A six-week nutrition education and obesity prevention program for fourth grade students that meets meets the core content requirements for Practical Living. “KY Fit Kids” targets lifestyle habits that contribute to weight gain and uses hands-on approaches to teach children the difference between high-fat and low-fat foods. The classes are taught by registered dietitians and focus on nutrition and exercise, body image, self esteem and assertiveness skills. The program is offered once a week in the classroom during regular class hours and consists of about 45 minutes of instruction and activities. The students each receive a scoreboard to track their weekly exercise and screen time throughout the program and additional materials to help apply the lessons being taught each session. For more information, please contact Monica Smith, R.D., at 859.363.2114.

OFF (Outsmarting Female Fat): Program
The “OFF” Program (note Adobe Acrobat is required to open this file) is a 10 to 12 week weight-control program designed specifically for woman and taught by registered dietitians from the Health Department. This scientifically sound, fat fighting program is based on the national bestseller titled “Outsmarting the Female Fat Cell” by Debra Waterhouse and consists of daily journaling, a weekly exercise goal, reading on your own and attending consecutive weekly sessions focusing on a natural way of eating that works for your body, not against it. The OFF Program is not a diet, but a realistic life-long approach of changing eating and exercise behaviors to turn your fat cells OFF. Cost of the program is only $25 to help cover the costs of materials that participants will receive. Please check this Web page for details about current or future sessions. For more information, please contact Monica Smith, R.D., at 859.363.2114.

Safe Routes to School program
Safe Routes to School is a national program to encourage more children to walk and bike to school. Studies have shown that walking or biking to school gives children a sense of freedom and responsibility, and students who walk or bike to school are more alert when they arrive at school. Allowing students to walk or bike to school can also assist in decreasing youth obesity by helping children get the recommended 60 minutes of daily physical activity. Several local school districts are implementing Safe Routes to School programs. For more information, please call 859.341.4264.

Worksite Wellness 
There are a variety of staff wellness programs for area schools and businesses, including stress reduction, physical activity, and nutrition programs. Incentives are built into the programs to encourage and reward participation. There is no charge for these programs. For more information, contact 859.341.4264.

WIC (Women, Infants and Children) Food Supplement Program 
WIC is a federally funded supplemental food and nutrition program for low income, nutritionally at risk pregnant/post partum women, infants and children under 5 years of age. Certain foods can be purchased with computerized instruments issued to certified participants. In addition, participants receive nutrition education, counseling and appropriate screenings. See locations page for phone numbers of county health centers.