TWU Faculty To Develop Program To Combat Childhood Obesity

12/05/03

DENTON — Four Texas Woman’s University faculty will receive a $128,062 grant to develop nutrition education materials to reduce childhood obesity, with an emphasis on Hispanic children.

Dr. Junehee Kwon, assistant professor of nutrition and food science, Dr. Carolyn Bednar, professor of nutrition and food science, Dr. Nancy DiMarco, professor of nutrition and food science, and Dr. Charlotte Sanborn, professor of kinesiology, will receive Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board Minority Research and Education Grant Program funding to develop a program designed to increase the fruit and vegetable consumption of Hispanic as well as non-Hispanic children in grades K-2.

In Texas, Hispanic children have a higher rate of obesity than Caucasian or African American children. Obese children are at greater risk for Type 2 diabetes and other chronic diseases because of their weight.

Research shows that increasing fruit and vegetable consumption in children is a more effective weight control tool than lowering the fat content of foods. The TWU faculty members also will develop and provide nutrition education materials for the children in the project group, their teachers, parents and school foodservice staff, and make recommendations that can be implemented across the state for effective nutrition education for Hispanic children.

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For Further Information Contact:

Roy Kron
Director of News and Information
Tel: (940) 898-3456
e-mail: rkron@twu.edu