›› Welcome to the Partnership for a Fit
Kentucky
The Partnership for a Fit Kentucky is a public/private partnership which supports the Kentucky Department for Public
Health’s Obesity Prevention Program. The focus is on promoting nutrition and physically active communities. This website is
a clearinghouse of the Partnership for a Fit Kentucky’s initiatives. The intent is to link resources, network programs,
provide tools that work, and strengthen partnerships in order to develop cutting edge initiatives.
›› Farm to School Kentucky Handbook
This manual is designed to be a practical tool for school food service directors, farmers and community members interested in feeding Kentucky food to Kentucky kids in Kentucky schools. It is chock full of realistic advice and the most helpful tools we could find to make this important task easier and more commonly practiced. We hope you will use it like a well-loved cookbook, dog-earing the pages and returning to it again and again in order to make Farm to School a way of life in Kentucky. Also see Kentucky Farm to School Curriculum http://www.kyagr.com/consumer/food/documents/curriculum.pdf (June 2012)
›› Shaping Kentucky’s Future: A Community Guide to Reducing Obesity Local Success Stories
This report features stories of sustainable changes made by Kentucky communities to make physical activity and healthy eating easier
and more accessible. Mow It and They Will Come, Rethinking Concession Stand Food and Good Food for All are just a few of the stories told.
We hope the pioneering work featured in the sequel to the Shaping Kentucky’s Future: Policies to Reduce Obesity will jump start efforts all across the
state. To make it easier to replicate these great ideas, the report includes persuasive language to use in selling the ideas, advice from those who led
the initiatives, contact information, and the best resources and references on the topics covered. An Action Worksheet is designed to act as a guide
to help your community decide how it will “Shape Kentucky’s Future.” This report will be a success when the stories it tells inspire other Kentuckians to
say, “If people can do that in Buckhorn, Lexington, Covington and Hopkinsville, we can do it here!”
(May 2012)
›› Health Impact Assessment on a Worksite Wellness Tax Credit
The Kentucky Department for Public Health partnered with Western Kentucky University to conduct a health impact assessment on a Worksite Wellness Tax Credit. The purpose of the assessment was to evaluate the potential effects of a worksite wellness tax credit on three main areas of concern for Kentucky: (1) nutrition, physical activity and obesity levels of children whose parents receive Worksite Wellness services, (2) jobs and (3) social cohesion. Funding for the project was provided by ASTHO. (January 2012)
›› Kentucky has the prescription for significantly reducing childhood obesity. It's called 5-2-1-0.
Five: Eat five or more servings of fruits and vegetables each day.
Two: Limit screen time to no more than two hours a day.
One: Be physically active at least one hour a day.
Zero: Don't drink sweetened beverages.
The campaign is designed to give parents, healthcare professionals and day care operators a memorable way to talk about the key evidence-based behaviors that reduce childhood obesity.
Downloadable and free resources are available at the 5210 website located here: http://chfs.ky.gov/dph/mch/hp/5210/
›› Two New Manuals for Early Childhood Providers
Preschoolers Learning About Nature and Nutrition Together (PLANNT) is a garden enhanced curriculum for 3-5 year olds. The manual is divided up into 4 seasonal units and each unit has monthly themes. Four primary components to this program include a featured lesson, hands on gardening, circle time topic and weekly vegetable tastings.
Best Practices Manual for early childhood providers. This manual provides practical guidance on nutrition and physical activity which will promote the development of healthy habits early in life.
›› Shaping Kentucky's Future: Policies to Reduce Obesity
In this report, the Partnership for a Fit Kentucky proposes eight public policies selected by a committee of KY
stakeholders to reduce the levels of obesity in the state. See "Shaping Kentucky's Future Power Point" and more information
on policy change. (June 2009)
Policy & Environment Change
›› Kentucky Obesity Epidemic 2004
In 2004 the Kentucky Obesity Epidemic report was released by the Department for Public Health. This report describes the
burden of overweight and obesity in Kentucky and compares it with that for the nation. This information laid the groundwork
to begin drafting a statewide plan to address the growing epidemic. See the full document for more information.
›› Development of Kentucky's Nutrition and Physical
Activity State Action Plan 2005
In August 2004 the Partnership for a Fit Kentucky held nine regional obesity forums. Over 1300 participants gave their
input on what their community currently was doing to combat obesity and what they would like to see in the future in the
context of CDC’s six key strategies to prevent and control obesity:
- Increase fruit and vegetable consumption
- Increase breastfeeding initiation and duration
- Increase physical activity
- Reduce TV viewing time
- Increase parental involvement
- Other dietary concerns
Each community developed their top 5 priorities. The Partnership for a Fit Kentucky used the results of the forum to
develop Kentucky’s Nutrition and Physical Activity State Action Plan. The strategies presented in the State Action Plan are
intended to help create healthy environments. See the full document for more information.
›› Regional Coalitions
To implement Kentucky State Action Plan eleven regional coalitions were developed. Each regional coalition began by
inviting community member to a strategic planning meeting. At the meeting the participants prioritized the strategies from
the plan for their community. Regional coalitions continue to develop and implement their region's plan. See the coalition
map and each regional coalitions page for more details.
In June 2007 the regional coordinators of the Partnership for a Fit Kentucky came together to network with the different
regions. Together the coordinators developed this vision for the coalitions:
Regional coalitions involve community members with diverse backgrounds and are committed to the shared vision of
increasing nutrition and physical activity through policy and environmental change. Each regional coalition has clear goals
that they are working toward. They provide two-way communication to all of the counties in their region and connect back to
the state Partnership for a Fit Kentucky. The coalitions strive to progress in making effective changes that will improve
their communities’ health. They are seen as leaders whose work is a true community effort.
Contact your region's coordinator for more information.
›› Partner Links
›› Website Resources