Orange County Program Targets Obesity Among Latino Children
The Orange County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday approved a $170,000 grant for a 17-month program to "promote healthy eating and exercise habits among Latino children and families," the Orange County Register reports. The grant comes after a recent county survey found that nearly one-quarter of Latino children ages 10 to 12 were "significantly overweight." The county grant is retroactive to April 28, when KidShape, a not-for-profit Los Angeles foundation, started offering free Saturday morning classes for children and parents near Orange. The grant will enable the program to expand services to community centers in Garden Grove, Santa Ana and the Colonia Independencia area. Last month, the Healthcare Foundation of Orange County announced a $169,345 grant to Latino Health Access and Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian to fund a year-long program aimed at reducing obesity among students at four Santa Ana elementary schools. Dr. America Bracho of Latino Health Access said it is "crucial" for parents to address obesity as a "health concern" rather than an "issue of appearance" (Reed, Orange County Register, 5/16).
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