CSU, Chico News

Cindy Wolff, professor of Nutrition and Food Sciences at California State University, Chico and director of OPT (Overweight Prevention and Treatment) for Fit Kids, has been awarded a $5 million grant to expand the Sierra Cascade Nutrition and Activity Consortium (SCNAC) in the North State over the next three years.

SCNAC was created to educate residents of Northern California about healthy life-long eating and physical activity practices. SCNAC’s goal is to promote a balanced diet and physical activity through a social marketing campaign, provide pre-kindergarten to 12th-grade nutrition and activity programs, and provide parent, teacher and family-based education.

The grant is focused on providing services to low-income families in rural areas, particularly Hispanic, Asian and Native American residents. Often, community health services, public health facilities and health care insurance are inadequate in rural parts of the state.

SCNAC has 30 partnering agencies that will receive 50 cents from SCNAC for every dollar they spend on nutrition education and physical activity promotion. Partners include 13 school districts and a variety of community partners, including Butte County Department of Public Health, Feather River Tribal Health, Chico Area Recreation District, Modoc County Department of Health and Northern Valley Indian Health.

SCNAC employs 14 CSU, Chico students each semester, nine graduate students and five undergraduates, as well as nine staff members who are CSU, Chico alumni. Twelve CSU, Chico faculty members from seven departments in three colleges are currently participating in SCNAC research and program activities. In addition, 40 students intern with the program each semester.

“Nutrition education and physical activity promotion are increasingly important as the United States faces an obesity epidemic. Lack of proper nutrition and physical fitness cost the United States more than $93 billion a year and is the leading cause of preventable death,” said Wolff. “It is critical to maintain and improve health education programs that start with children. This grant will allow us to reach families who are most in need,” said Wolff.

For more information on SCNAC and related programs, contact Wolff at 530-898-5288 or e-mail her at cwolff@csuchico.edu.

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This entry was posted on Monday, January 12th, 2004 at 8:30 am and is filed under 2004 Fall.