Adair County 4-H Benefits Youth

Kirksville, MO is the largest town located in Adair County, with around 17,500 residents.  The area is considered rural, however the majority of the citizens of Kirksville do not own land or work in agriculture.  There is a local 4-H program with around 200 participants ranging from kindergarten to seniors in high school.  The total number of citizens below the age of 18 is roughly 2,700 meaning the participating rate in 4-H would be about 7%, a rather low number.  What many people do not realize is that 4-H has a lot more to offer than just showing livestock at the local fair.  Programs in 4-H range anywhere from healthy living to science; while there still are opportunities to show your cow and bake cookies there are many other positive fun activities for students to participate in.  After all, the four H’s stand for Head, Heart, Hands and Health; the goal being to develop children into healthy adults.

In a town where the poverty rate is about 23%, with a total of around 17% of all children under 18 living below poverty, low cost or free after school opportunities are crucial.  The local Adair County 4-H is fairly inexpensive for all participants with a fee of $25 annually and for those students who receive free or reduced school lunch prices the United Way funds their participation in 4-H. 

According to OSEDA 66.5% of adults ages 25 and up have obtained a high school diploma or equivalent.  The national average for adults who have earned a high school diploma over the past decade is around 83%, significantly higher than the average of Kirksville, MO (LaFontaine & Heckman, 2007).  Research conducted on students participating in 4-H and those not participating in 4-H (and possibly another extracurricular activity) show that students involved in 4-H “Have higher educational achievement and motivation for future education” (Lerner & Lerner, 2005). Along with education they are also more active in their communities and volunteer more.  The youth of Adair County, with Kirksville having a lower than average high school graduation rate, could use a constructive extracurricular program such as 4-H to help them be the best they can be and reach their goals of graduating high school or attending college.  On average 4-H participants are twice as likely to plan on attending college and they do overall better in school than their non-4-H participant counterparts (Lerner & Lerner, 2005).

Healthy choices is another area in which 4-H youth participants excel in, with participants being 2.4 times more likely to avoid having sexual intercourse by junior year of high school.  This is extremely important for a county located in Missouri where the teen pregnancy rate for the state is 55.3 births out of 1,000 for women ages 15-19 ("Affordable care act," 2009). If programs exist to encourage students to make healthy choices regarding their bodies and sexuality it is important for students to participate and take that information and healthy attitude with them.   Students who participate in 4-H are also proven to have lower cigarette, alcohol and drug use than their peers.  If we can lower the use of cigarettes, alcohol and drugs it is possible that the overall health of Adair County will increase, with an increase in quality of life and life expectancy. 

Another huge benefit that many 4-H youth participants have statistically shown is that they are 2.3 times more likely to exercise and be physically active than those who do not participate.  According to the CDC, if youth learn healthy habits at an early age and begin practicing them such as exercising regularly and making good nutritional decisions they are more likely to carry those habits into adulthood and less likely to die of preventable diseases ("Safe and healthy," 2009). Just another way to improve the overall health of the citizens of Adair County and help kids achieve optimal health to prevent future illness, increasing their quality of life.

There have also been national campaigns to encourage more young girls to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM); traditionally male dominated fields.  The study of 4-H students shoes that girls who participate are 1.6 times more likely to pursue careers in science than their counterparts.  If the national goal is to encourage more young women to pursue STEM careers than 4-H is a great extracurricular program that has already begun to give these girls confidence to enter those male dominated fields.

If you are in need of further proof as to how 4-H youth programs encourage our youth to become the best individuals they can be, according to the study 4-H youth in grade 11 are “3.3 times more likely to actively contribute to their communities when compared with youth who do not participate in 4-H” (Tufts).  More service in the community will possibly give kids a positive outlook on helping others and encourage service into adulthood.

4-H’s motto is “to make the best, better”.  The 4-H youth programs are aimed at making great kids great healthy adults.  With Adair County having a lower than average high school graduation rate, a high teen pregnancy rate and high drug use a program like 4-H could benefit many students.  Cost of joining is very low or free for those who cannot afford it, participating rates will hopefully increase as more individuals become aware of the great opportunities 4-H has to offer the youth and families of Adair County.

WORKS CITED

Affordable care act maternal, infant and early childhood home visiting program needs assessment. 47.(2009).

LaFontaine, P., & Heckman, J. (2007). The american high school graduation rate: trends and levels. The Institute for the Study of Labor, 6.

Lerner, R. M., & Lerner, J. V. (2005). Report of the findings from the first six years of the 4-h study of positive youth development. Institute for applied research in youth development Tufts University,

Safe and healthy kids and teens. (2009, October 15). Retrieved   from http://www.cdc.gov/family/kids/

Cigarette Smoking

Cigarette smoking is the most preventable cause of morbidity (disease and illness) and premature mortality (death) worldwide, (General Smoking Facts, 2).  Smoking related diseases claim an estimated 443,000 American lives each year, (General Smoking Facts, 2).  In recent years, smoking has cost the United States an outrageous amount of money, (General Smoking Facts, 2).  In 2004, smoking cost the United States over $193 billion, which includes $97 billion in lost productivity and $96 million in direct health care expenditures, (General Smoking Facts, 2). 

    Cigarette smoking is very harmful to a person’s body, (General Smoking Facts, 2).    Cigarette smoke contains over 4,000 chemicals, (General Smoking Facts, 2).  Sixty nine of the chemicals are known to cause cancer, (General Smoking Facts, 2). Cigarettes contain tar, carbon monoxide and chemicals like DDT, arsenic and formaldehyde-a gas that is used to preserve dead animals, (Smoking, 1). The tar and carbon monoxide in cigarettes can cause serious breathing problems, (Smoking, 1).  The tobacco in cigarettes contains nicotine which is a drug that makes smoking addictive, (Smoking, 1).  The longer that an individual smokes, then the more cigarettes the individual smokes, and then the harder it is to quit, (Smoking, 1).

 Smoking causes 90 percent of lung cancer deaths and 80-90 percent of COPD deaths, (General Smoking Facts, 2).  Around 8.6 million people in the U.S. have at least one serious illness caused by smoking, (General Smoking Facts, 2).  Diseases caused by smoking include:  chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, coronary heart disease, stroke, abdominal aortic aneurysm, acute myeloid leukemia, cataract, pneumonia, periodontitis, and bladder, esophageal, laryngeal, lung, oral, throat, cervical, kidney, stomach, and pancreatic cancers, (Tobacco Facts, 1).   Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death among both men and women in the United States and 90 percent of lung cancer deaths in men and 80 percent of lung cancer deaths in women are from smoking, (Tobacco Facts, 1)   Smoking also can cause many other conditions that were not mentioned above, (General Smoking Facts, 2).  People who smoke are six times more likely to suffer a heart attack than nonsmokers, (Tobacco Facts, 1). 

Many people in the United States are smokers, (General Smoking Facts, 1).  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that more than 46 million US adults were current smokers in 2009, (General Smoking Facts, 1).  This means that 20.6% of all adults smoke which is 1 out of 5 people, (General Smoking Facts, 1).  23.5% of all men smoke and 17.9% of all women smoke, (General Smoking Facts, 1).   Smoking prevalence is highest among non-Hispanic whites (22.2%) and lowest among Hispanics (14.5%) and Asians (12.0%), General Smoking Facts, 1).  High school students and middle school students are also smoking, (General Smoking Facts, 1).  Across the nation, 20% of high school students were smoking cigarettes in 2009, (General Smoking Facts, 1).  A survey that was conducted in 2009 of middle school students showed that around 5% of them were smoking, (General Smoking Facts, 1). 

Individuals, who smoke while they are pregnant, can cause serious harm to their unborn child, (General Smoking Facts, 1). Smoking during pregnancy accounts for around 20 to 30 percent of low-birth weight babies, (General Smoking Facts, 1).  Smoking during pregnancy also accounts for up to 14 percent of preterm deliveries and up to 10 percent of all infant deaths, (General Smoking Facts, 1).  Even the babies that appear to be healthy when they are born and are full term have been found to be born with narrowed airways and reduced lung function, (General Smoking Facts, 1). 

It is never too late to quit smoking and there are many reasons why individual’s should quit smoking, (Smoking, 1).  Some reasons to quit smoking include:  Expensive, bad breath, stained teeth and hands, cough/sore throat, problems breathing, feeling tired and out of breath, wrinkles sooner and before the average person, arguments with parents and friend, cancer risk, heart disease risk, gum diseases risk, many other health problems, bad smell in your clothes, hair and skin, cigarette burns in your car or on your clothes, and the risk of secondhand smoke to people around you, (Smoking, 1).  There are many other things that people can do instead of smoking, which include:  Chew sugarless gum, call a friend, chew sunflower seeds, go to a movie or another place where you cannot smoke, take a walk or work out, remind yourself why you want to quit, etc, (Smoking, 1). 

There are steps that individuals can take to make quitting easier, which include:  Pick a stop date, make a list of the reasons why you want to quit, keep track of where, when and why you smoke, throw away all of your tobacco, tell your friends that you’re quitting, and when your stop date arrives, stop, (Smoking, 1).  When picking a stop date, choose a date that is two to four weeks from today so that you can get ready to quit, (Smoking, 1).  When keeping track of where, when and why you smoke, you might want to make notes so that you know the activities or the people that you are around when you smoke and write down things you plan to do instead of smoking, (Smoking, 1).  When your stop date arrives, plan little rewards for yourself for each cigarette-free day, week or month, (Smoking, 1). 

References
"General Smoking Facts." American Lung Association. 2011. Web. 1 Oct. 2011. .
"Smoking." American Academy of Family Physicians, 2011. Web. 1 Oct. 2011. .
"Tobacco Facts." CDC. Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention, 22 June 2011. Web. 1 Oct. 2011. .

Automated External Defibrilator (AED)

Student: AB

Health Communication

Automated External Defibrillator

Sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) is a leading cause of death in the United States and Canada.¹ There is a difference between cardiac arrest and a heart attack in that a heart attack involves a blockage in a portion of the heart, while cardiac arrest stems from the insufficient function or stopped function of the heart.⁴ Problems associated with the heart can occur anywhere and at any time.  Trained medical personnel will not always be near individuals experiencing heart trouble, so it is imperative that a standard is set in place to reduce the death, hospitalization, and long-terms effects associated with experiencing any cardiac problem.

The American Heart Association estimates that over 300,000 individuals suffer the effects of SCA every year in the United States alone.  Roughly half of those incidences take place outside of a medical facility.  This fact necessitates the need for an automated external defibrillator (AED) to be place in more public areas.  It may take more than just supplying places with an AED, but rather equipping the public of knowledge of what an AED is, and how it can be used to help an individual experiencing a SCA.

An AED can be used to save lives if the machine is readily accessible.² Sherry L. Caffery et al. conducted a survey in Chicago at the O’Hare Airport demonstrating that when an AED was nearby and used within the first five minutes of the cardiac arrest, the survival rate of the individual increased.  A majority of the individuals who operated the AED were bystanders acting in good faith.  Approximately half of the bystanders had no medical degrees, no training, or no experience with using an AED.  If these bystanders could operate an AED without training or experience, it goes to show that almost anybody can operate an AED.

A study conducted by John W. Gundry et al. showed that naïve sixth graders, without prior experience of operating an AED, could operate an AED only moderately slower than trained professionals.³ The findings of this study compounded with the findings from Caffery’s airport study, shows that adults and children alike can operate an AED with or without training or previous experience. The location of an AED should then be placed in reasonable distances for both children and adults to access in case of an emergency.

A trained professional knows that an AED can deliver an electric shock to an individual experiencing SCA to help restore the function of the heart.  The National Heart Lung and Blood Institute define an AED as “a portable device that checks the heart rhythm and can send an electric shock to the heart to try to restore a normal rhythm”.  Some trained professionals such as EMS workers can be equipped to use multiple methods to stabilize an individual.

Since it is known that an AED can deliver a shock to an individual in order to help restore a normal rhythm, a cross comparison should be analyzed between the cost of an AED to traditional, historical EMS methods. A study by G. Nichol concluded that, “Where cardiac arrest is frequent and response time intervals are short, rapid defibrillation by targeted nontraditional responders may be a good value for the money compared with standard EMS.” The findings of this study are evaluated from a median quality-adjusted years using interquartile ranges. AEDs were found to be cost effective for a public institution if the treatment time was short and/or the probability or cardiac arrest is on the upper, or high rate.⁶

There are grants available to not only help individuals supply a public place with an AED, but to also train employees of a public institution where an AED shall be housed on the proper protocols and operating procedures. Funding can be found online at www.aedgrant.com/aed-grant-news.htm. This site offers trainings in AED and CPR, a method for comparing AEDs to see which would suit your institution the best, and an option to donate to the cause amongst other links. Some community organizations may already have initiatives in place to help supply various public institutions with an AED.

 One should always be familiar with the various laws associated with the use of an AED. The Sudden Cardiac Arrest foundation has provided links to laws with explanations on their website, www.sca-aware.org/aed-laws . There are federal and state laws for AED use, so one should govern their use accordingly. Many states now allow The Good Samaritan Law to give critical protection to an individual seeking to own an in-home AED.⁷

A key thing to note and remember is that an AED will not be a means to treat every heart problem, nor should it be considered an be-all and end-all. AEDs are used to restore a normal heart rhythm. In the case of a blockage or other nonrhythmic problem, an AED shock would be just as viable as cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CRP).⁵ If the use of an AED is required by a bystander, medical attention by certified medical professionals such as those at the nearest hospital should be alerted. With multiple programs already established to equip public places with AEDs such as Public Access Defibrillaton (PAD), it is a goal to reduce the rate or individuals succumbing to the ill effects of SCA.

 References:

1. Abella, Benjamin A. et al (2008). “Reducing Barriers for Implementation of Bystander-Initiated Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation: A Scientific Statement from the American Heart Association for Healthcare Providers, Policymakers, and Community Leaders Regarding the Effectiveness of Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation”. Circulation Journal of the American Heart Association. 117:704-709

2. Caffery, Sherry L. et al (2002). “Public use of Automated External defibrillators”  The New England Journal of Medicine. 347:1242-1247

3. Gundry, John W. et al.(1999) “Comparison of Naïve Sixth-Grade Children with Trained Professionals in the use of an Automated External Defibrillator” Circulation Journal of the American Heart Association. 100:1703-1707

4. Mayo Clinic Staff (2010). “ Sudden Cardiac Arrest Defintion” retrieved on 9/23/11 at www.mayoclinic.com/health/sudden-cardiac-arrest/DS00764

5. Mayo Clinic Staff (2011). “Automated External defibrillators: Do you need an AED?” Heart arrhythmias. Retrieved on 9/23/11 at www.mayoclinic.com/health/automated-external-defibrillators/HB00053

6. Nichol, G. et al (2003). “Cost Effectiveness of Defibrillation by Targeted Responders in Public Settings” Circulation Journal of the American Heart. 108:697-703

7. “The Good Samaritan Law for AED users”  The Good Samaritan Law. Retrieved on 9/24/11 at chfs.ky.gov/NR/rdonlyres/B954EF52-7BE0-440A-84B6-3C2C8B8709E4/0/KentuckyGoodSamLaw.pdf

Drink Up! The Best Beverage Choices for Your Kids

                The two most important liquids for preschool age children to drink are water and milk. Water and milk provide children with the nutrients they need and keep them hydrated and healthy. In some cases, juice can be an okay alternative, but you have to be careful when choosing the type of juice to drink. Try to avoid soda, energy drinks, and other sugary drinks as much as possible.

                  The body is 70% water and we lose water every day through sweat, urine, and other daily activities. The best way to rehydrate ourselves is to drink more water to put it back in our bodies. For kids of all ages, water is one of the best choices for a drink. Water is calorie-free, and drinking it allows children to accept a low-flavor, no-sugar beverage as a thirst-quencher. It is suggested that you always offer water first to your children because it is the best thirst quencher. It also helps if you let your child see you enjoying water as a drink of choice, because your kids want to be like you.

                  According to whymilk.com, a cup of milk can give children as much vitamin A as two hard boiled eggs, as much calcium as 10 cups of raw spinach, as much phosphorus as 1 cup of kidney beans, as much vitamin D as ¾ ounce of cooked salmon, as much riboflavin as 1/3 cup of whole almonds, and as much potassium as one small banana (“The Facts on Flavored Milk in Schools”, 2011). Milk has 9 nutrients in it that are essential for children to grow healthily. These include: calcium, vitamin D, vitamin A, protein, potassium, riboflavin, phosphorus, vitamin B-12, and niacin (“The Facts on Flavored Milk in Schools”, 2011).

                  There is some debate over whether or not flavored milk is okay, and some schools have even gone so far as to ban flavored milks. However, flavored milks still offer the same nutrients as white milk and does not add that much sugar, so it can still be a good option for your child to drink. In fact, studies have shown that those who drink flavored milk meet more of their nutritional needs, do not consume more added sugar or fat and are not heavier than non-milk drinkers (“The Facts on Flavored Milk in Schools”, 2011). Those who drink flavored milk also tend to drink fewer sodas and other fruit drinks (“The Facts on Flavored Milk in Schools”, 2011). If your child will only drink flavored milk, don’t worry, flavored milk is better than no milk at all, just be sure to keep it fat-free or 1%. In the past 5 years, the average calories in flavored milk have decreased to about 40 more calories than white and the added sugar has declined by 30% (Hayes, 2011). The 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans listed calcium, vitamin D, potassium, dietary fiber as four nutrients of concern, and milk, flavored or white, contains 3 of these four nutrients (Hayes, 2011). Your child needs 1000 miligrams of calcium per day, which can be obtained in about 3 glasses of milk since each cup has about 300 milligrams.

                  Juice does not have to be a bad choice of drink, and is still better than soda or some other drinks, but you have to be careful with what kinds you offer and how much. Remember, giving your child real fruit is always better than fruit juice. Juice can be a good source of vitamins but use it in moderation (Bradford, 2011). Make sure that you are buying 100% fruit juice with very little or no added sugar. Many juices can even be just as high in calories as soft drinks. Try to stick to one serving a day and mix the juice with water to dilute it but still keep the flavor (Davis, 2007). Drinking too much juice can also decrease the amount of healthier beverages your child drinks.

                  It has been reported that the average child drinks a couple of sodas every day, and a study in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association found that found that girls who drank soda continued the habit as adults, opting for sodas over nutrient-rich drinks, such as milk (Dove, n.d.).  Soda can cause many problems for a child. Soda has no nutritional value and is extremely high in sugar. Many boys get 15 teaspoons of refined sugar and many girls get about 10 just from sweetened beverages, such as soft drinks (Davis, 2007). This is the maximum amount of sugar a child needs from all foods in a day’s time. Almost 90 studies have linked sweetened beverages and children's weight problems. Even one or two sweet drinks a day can cause a problem. In addition, drinking soda does not make a child feel full so they will still eat the same amount of food as they normally would, and sometimes, it can lead to kids eating more. In most cases soft drinks just serve as extra, unnecessary calories for your child. Soft drinks can also rot kids’ teeth. Their high sugar content and high levels of acidity pose problems to teeth (Davis, 2007).  In addition, because kids usually substitute soft drinks for healthier beverages, such as milk, they are not getting enough calcium to keeps bones and teeth strong (Davis, 2007). This does not mean that you should never let your kids indulge in a soft drink, but try to keep it as an occasional treat, not an everyday occurrence.  By educating kids on the hazards of soft drinks and other sweet drinks -- and stocking the kitchen with the right drinks -- it's possible to lower the connection between children and soft drinks.

Resources: 

Hayes, D. (29 August 2011). The flavored milk wars: Is a tempest in a milk carton good for kids’ nutrition? International Food Information Council Foundation. Retrieved September 16. From http://www.foodinsight.org/Blog/tabid/60/EntryId/507/The-Flavored-Milk-Wars-Is-a-Tempest-in-a-Milk-Carton-Good-for-Kids-Nutrition.aspx.

No author. (2011). The facts on flavored milk in schools. Got Milk? Retrieved September 16. From http://www.whymilk.com/school_milk.php?gclid=CMrkhcHOjKsCFQteTAodXQR-wg

Davis, J. L. (18 July 2007). Children and sweetened drinks: What's a parent to do? WebMD. Retrieved Sept. 7 From http://children.webmd.com/features/children-and- sweetened-drinks-whats-a-parent-to-do?page=2.

Dove, L. (n.d.). 10 drinks your kids should not be drinking. TLC A Discovery Company. Retrieved September 9. From http://tlc.howstuffworks.com/family/10-drinks-kids-should-not-drink11.htm.

Bradford, A. (4 April 2011).What juice to give toddlers? Livestrong.com. Retrieved September 10.  From http://www.livestrong.com/article/534804-what-juice-to-give-toddlers/.

Worksite Health and Fitness

       Knox County is a small community located in Northeast Missouri with a population of 4,131 (QuickFacts Knox co. census, 2011). Like many communities, residents of Knox County struggle with certain health problems. In 2007, 24% of residents in Knox County believed they had fair or poor general health status, 38% were overweight, and an overwhelming 30% were obese. 25% of these residents are without health care coverage, even though 21% have high blood pressure, 22% smoke cigarettes and 24% reported high cholesterol (Health & preventative practices for Knox county adults, 2007). Physical activity would help to lower these statistics, but according to County Level Estimates of Leisure-Time Physical Inactivity, 27.2% of adults in Knox County are physically inactive (2008).


       Physical inactivity is not only an issue in Knox County. The CDC reports that more than 60% of U.S. adults do not engage in the recommended amount of activity and approximately 25% of U.S. adults are not active at all (Physical activity and health: adults, 1999). The CDC also reported that only 15% of U.S. adults engage in vigorous activity regularly during their leisure time while only 22% of adults engage in exercise of any intensity regularly during leisure time (Publications, 2011). With these alarming statistics, it is important that adults learn ways to increase their physical activity and the benefits that come with this positive behavior change.

       Increasing physical activity can be difficult for adults who are employed. Worksite Wellness is becoming an increasingly popular topic, not only because of the statistics mentioned above but because sedentary lifestyles are a major contributor to the increase in obesity and chronic diseases (Physical activity and older americans, 2002). Those in the workforce are particularly threatened to a sedentary lifestyle because of the many hours a day spent at work that may not allow them to be active.
     About half of the population in Knox County is in the workforce, a total of 1,982 residents (ACS profile report, 2009). Because half of the population is employed, and a third of that population did not participate in physical activity aside from their jobs, it is essential people know how to fit exercise into their busy schedules. On top of spending the majority of their time at work, the mean travel time to work is 22.4 minutes, taking almost another hour away from their leisure time (QuickFacts Knox co. census, 2011).
       Even if companies do not have Workplace Health Promotion Programs, there are still many ways employees can add healthy behaviors to their workdays. Some ideas include:

• Initiating a stair climbing challenge where employees use stairs rather than taking the elevator (100 ways to wellness).
• Drinking water instead of soda or other sugary drinks
• Launching a pedometer challenge among coworkers. Although walking is a low-impact exercise, it has numerous health benefits such as lowering blood pressure, reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes, lowering cholesterol, managing weight and improving mood (Fitness, 2010).
• Working out with resistance bands or dumbbells during coffee breaks
• Using dumbbells at the desk while talking on the phone
• Incorporating stretching breaks during long meetings
• Taking a lap around the office every hour
• Eating healthier lunches instead of fast food
• Encouraging coworkers to take turns bringing in healthy snacks such as fruits and vegetables (100 ways to wellness).

       Social support from friends has been consistently related to regular physical activity, so encouraging fellow coworkers in starting healthy behaviors is essential.

       The CDC recommends adults engage in 2 hours and 30 minutes each week of moderate-intensity exercise, or 1 hour and 15 minutes of vigorous-intensity exercise (2008 Physical activity guidelines for americans, 2009). Moderate-intensity exercise can include brisk walking, riding a bike on level ground, or anything that will raise the heart rate and break a sweat. Vigorous-intensity exercise includes jogging, playing basketball, or working out hard enough that heart rate has gone up quite a bit and breathing is hard and fast. The CDC also recommends that this aerobic activity should be performed for at least 10 minutes at a time, preferably spread through the week (2008 Physical activity guidelines for americans, 2009).

       There are also recommendations for muscle strengthening activities. Adults should engage in muscular strength exercises at least 2 days a week at moderate to high intensity levels (2008 Physical activity guidelines for americans, 2009). These exercises should work all of the major muscle groups, including the legs, hips, back, chest, abdomen, shoulders and arms.

       There are many benefits to living a healthy lifestyle. Some benefits include lowering the risk of stroke, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, coronary heart disease, high cholesterol or early death (Physical activity and health: adults, 1999). Physical activity helps maintain healthy bones, muscles, joints and reduced symptoms of anxiety and depression. It can also prevent weight gain, and when combined with a healthy diet can help with weight loss.

       Employers can also benefit from an increase in worksite health. Employees have shown to be more productive and be absent less once they engage in healthy behaviors (Promoting workplace health, 2008). Employers can also see a decrease in health care costs, and employee morale’s are often boosted.

Works Cited

101 Ways to Wellness. (n.d.). Retrieved September 21, 2011, from Wellness Council of America: http://www.fitness.gov/execsum.htm#5

2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans. (2009, July). Retrieved September 21, 2011, from CDC Fact Sheet for Health Professionals on Physical Activity Guidelines for Adults: http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnps/physical/prf/PA_Fact_Sheet_Adults.pdf

ACS Profile Report. (2009). Retrieved September 15, 2011, from Missouri Census Data Center: http://mcdc.missouri.edu/websas/acsprofile.usage_notes.shtml#MOEs

County Level Estimates of Leisure-Time Physical Inactivity. (2008). Retrieved September 21, 2011, from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: http://apps.nccd.cdc.gov/DDT_STRS2/CountyPrevalenceData.aspx?mode=PHY

Fitness. (2010). Retrieved September 24, 2011 from Mayo Clinic: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/walking/HQ01612

Health & Preventative Practices for Knox-Scotland-Clark County Adults. (2007). Retrieved September 15, 2011, from Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services: http://health.mo.gov/data/mica/CLS_Compare/header.php?cnty=103&profile_type=1 chkBox=C

Physical Activity and Health Adults. (1999). Retrieved September 21, 2011, from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/sgr/adults.htm

Physical Activity and Older Americans. (2002). Retrieved September 24, 2011, from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services: http://www.ahrq.gov/ppip/activity.htm

Promoting workplace health. (2008, January). Retrieved from http://www.healthystates.csg.org/NR/rdonlyres/B6FC0AB2-A14A-4321-AAF8 778E57AA9752/0/LPBWorkplaceHealth_screen.pdf

Publications. (2011). Retrieved September 21, 2011, from The President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports: http://www.fitness.gov/execsum.htm#5

QuickFacts Knox Co. Census. (2011, June 2). Retrieved September 15, 2011, from U.S. Census Bureau: http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/29/29103.html

Work and Jobs in Knox County, Missouri. (2010). Retrieved September 15, 2011, from City-Data : http://www.city-data.com/work/work-Knox-City-Missouri.html

Hunting and Heat Exhaustion

Heat exhaustion is the number one cause of outdoor illness during the summer months.  Temperatures in Adair County reach on average about eighty degrees in the summer, and with increasing humidity, heat exhaustion is a very real threat (Adair County Weather).

“If heat exhaustion is left untreated, it may lead to heat stroke.  The key difference between heat stroke and heat exhaustion is the presence of confusion and other mental status changes during heat stroke. During heat stroke, the neurological system is affected and can cause odd behavior, delusions, hallucinations, and eventually seizures or a coma. At the first signs of heat exhaustion, you should stop activity and cool the body by seeking shade, shelter or a cool room, and drinking cold fluids. Seek medical attention immediately if symptoms are severe (Heat Exhaustion Symptoms).

Heat exhaustion-symptoms. (2006). Retrieved from http://sportsmedicine.about.com/od/enviromentalissues/a/Heat-Exhaustion.htm

 

Hypothermia: Extreme Weather Hunting

Hypothermia occurs when your body loses heat faster than it can produce it, causing your core body temperature to fall. Hypothermia is often induced by cold, wet conditions, such as rain, snow, sleet, or immersion in water. However, hypothermia can occur at temperatures as high as 50° Fahrenheit. Moisture from perspiration, humidity, and dew or rain on bushes and trees also can soak your clothing over time, putting you at risk in cold weather. Wet or damp clothes will draw heat out of your body more rapidly than cold air. Wind lowers your body temperature as it evaporates moisture from your body. Resting against cold surfaces also will draw heat from your body (Michigan Hunter Safety Course).

 

Michigan hunter safety course. (2011, February 08). Retrieved from http://www.hunter-ed.com/mi/course/ch8_coping_with_extreme_weather.htm