California Endowment’s Childhood Obesity Initiative Announces Participating Communities

California Endowment on Thursday announced six communities selected to participate in a project to reduce childhood obesity, the San Diego Union-Tribune reports. California Endowment will distribute $1.8 million to each of the following six communities: Baldwin Park, Oakland, Santa Ana, Shasta, South Central Los Angeles and Western Chula Vista.

The $26 million initiative aims to improve children's eating habits and encourage physical activity. The initiative also seeks to affect "low-income communities where childhood obesity and diabetes are prevalent," according to the Union-Tribune.

California Endowment's goals include bringing new grocery stores and farmer's markets that sell healthy foods into participating neighborhoods, reducing the prevalence of fast food advertisements in the neighborhoods, offering healthier foods in schools and emphasizing fitness programs and after-school recreation.

California Endowment spokesperson Jeff Okey said the initiative is the first comprehensive effort to reduce childhood obesity in the state. Agencies participating in the project have six months to formulate "action plans," the Union-Tribune reports (Branscomb, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3/18).