The study will be based in the towns of Firebaugh and San
Joaquin and is being funded by a federal grant of nearly 5 million
dollars. It will include programs such as fresh food vouchers,
nutrition education for parents, and health screenings.
"We're not just doing research, we're working with the
community to provide the environment to make it a healthier
environment for these families and these children," said Dr. Adela
de la Torre, principal investigator of the study.
De la Torre says people of Mexican origin are one of the highest risk groups for childhood obesity. She says the target communities are low income where many children lack access to physical education and parents need information about healthy living.
"The culture at how they look at food, how they look at exercise, and how they begin to share this information with their children will change," said de la Torre.
Researchers hope the five year study will help them discover the most effective ways to combat obesity among children of Mexican origin.