Central Valley picked for program to fight childhood obesity

FRESNO
December 2, 2008 8:46am

The Central California Regional Obesity Prevention Program has been awarded a $400,000 grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to improve opportunities for physical activity and access to healthy, affordable foods for children and families.

The San Joaquin Valley portion of the Central Valley is one of nine locations selected for the “Healthy Kids, Healthy Communities” initiative. This $44 million national program is the foundation’s newest and largest investment to date in community-based solutions to childhood obesity. By late 2009 it will include approximately 70 communities across the country.

“This initiative will provide leadership development for residents who are working towards creating healthier communities for children and families by improving access to healthy foods and physical activity resources,” says Genoveva Islas-Hooker, regional program coordinator for the Central California Regional Obesity Prevention Program. “The grant helps us to build on the work that we’ve done over the past three years with the support of The California Endowment and allows us to advance our obesity prevention efforts.”

The San Joaquin Valley is home to more than 3.8 million people, with over 34 percent of the population under age 20. The region has high childhood and adult rates of obesity, diabetes and other chronic conditions. In the San Joaquin Valley, one out of three children are overweight or obese.

“In many of our communities, residents can’t easily buy healthy foods,” claims Ms. Islas-Hooker. “In addition, many neighborhoods are designed in ways that make it difficult and unsafe for children and adults to be physically active outdoors.”

The Central California Regional Obesity Prevention Program is being carried out by partnerships between public health departments, community-based organizations and community councils in Fresno, Kern, Kings, Madera, Merced, San Joaquin, Stanislaus, and Tulare counties. The program was developed by the Central California Public Health Partnership and is administered through California State University, Fresno.