Center Research & Outreach Activities
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Current Projects

Capturing the impact of new food and beverage standards in California high schools
Center for Weight and Health School Lunch Initiative Evaluation Project
Childhood Overweight Prevention among Asian Immigrants
Children & Weight: What Communities Can Do About It
Coast-to-Coast Initiatve to Control and Prevent Childhood Obesity: bridge funding
Collaboration with African American 5-A-Day Campaign
Communities Make a Difference
Evaluating a YMCA-Based Community Intervention to Reduce Risk of Type 2 Diabetes in Overweight African American Children
Gender, Obesity, Reactive Protein and Oxidative Stress
Healthy Eating, Active Communities
Healthy Eating, Active Communities Quantitative Evaluation
Healthy Eating, Active Living Community Health Initiative: Evaluation Proposal, Student Survey Component
Healthy Eating, Active Living Community Initiative
Identify Needs & Interests of Non-English Speaking Parents Regarding Pediatric Overweight
Improving Nutrition in Low-income Vietnamese Families
Life in Action Youth Nutrition Education
Network for a Healthy California Berkeley Impact Evaluation 2007-2008

Northern California HEAL Technical Assistance
Nutrition Education for Bay Area African Americans
Proceedings: 2007 California Childhood Obesity Conference
¿Pueden Escucharme Ahora?

Randomized, Controlled Community Intervention to Reduce the Risk of Type 2 Diabetes in Overweight African American Children
Reversing Childhood Obesity Trends: Helping Children Achieve Healthy Weights
Sports4Kids Evaluation
Taking Action Together - Reducing the Risk of Type 2 Diabetes in Low-Income African American Children
Team Nutrition Local Wellness Demo Project Evaluation
Timing of Eating in Relation to Obesity Development in Black and White Girls Through Adolescence
 
Recently Completed Projects
California Fresh Start Evaluation
California Plate & Childhood Obesity Evaluation
African American Center for Healthy Activity that Nurtures Growth and Endurance (CHANGE)
Agricultural Experiment Station Faculty Involvement

Assembly, Delivery and Evaluation of Nutrition Education Programs to Reduce the Risk of Type 2 Diabetes in Overweight Low-Income African American Children
Assessing the association among food insecurity, child feeding practices and obesity
Berkeley Unified School District (BUSD) Lunch Initiative  
California Bone Health Campaign
California Hub: Linking Resources for Obesity Prevention
California Obesity Prevention Initiative (COPI)
California WIC Childhood Obesity Prevention Project (FitWIC)
Children & Parents Improving Health Together
Determinants of Energy Imbalance
Development of Eating Patterns and Obesity in African American Girls
Dietary Patterning Through Adolescence
Documentation of Accomplishments and Identification of Strengths and Weaknesses of Community Coalitions Attempting to Impact Pediatric Overweight
Eat Smart, Play Hard
Effects of Pregnancy on Adolescent Growth and Health
Enhancing Nutrition Education: yr 2

Evaluation of California Department of Education (CDE) Nutrition and Physical Activity projects
Evaluation of SB 19 Pupil Nutrition Act
Evaluation of the Period of Adiposity Rebound for the Prevention of Obesity
Food Insecurity Resources Development and Distribution
Governor Schwarzenegger's Summit on the Prevention of Obesity
Healthy Eating and Activity for Children
Healthy Eating and Childhood Overweight Prevention Grants
Helping School Foodservice Deliver Nutrition Education
Implementing and Evaluating a Comprehensive Learner Centered Education Porgram to Promote Fruit and Vegetable intake among WIC children and their families
Implementation and evaluation of a bone health curriculum among adult FSNEP client.
Improving Self Efficacy of Nutrition Educators
Latino Children & Parents Improving Health Together
Learner Centered Education
Lessons Learned From School Based Programs to Improve Physical Activity and Nutrition
Linking Education, Activity and Food (LEAF)
Obesity, Hyperinsulinemia and Colon Cancer
Ovarian Cancer in Large Women: Reducing Barriers to Care
The Paradoxical Relationship between Food Insecurity & Child Obesity
Prevention of Type 2 Diabetes in Children: Pathogenesis to Public Policy
Process Evaluation of SB 19 and SOS programs to improve the school nutrition environment
Promoting Wellness in Early Childhood
Reducing Risk of Childhood Overweight Among Immigrant Families From Southeast Asia and China
Soda Out of Schools (SOS): Impact on Adolescent Obesity
Teaching HEART Smart Cooking to Kids
Teaching Kids What to Eat Where They Eat
Team Nutrition 2
Team Nutrition 3
YMCA Centered Nutrition Education Delivered to Low-Income African American Children and Their Families in Oakland CA
 
Current Projects
 

Capturing the impact of new food and beverage standards in California high schools
Project dates: 7/06 - 6/09
Funded by: The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

Beginning in 2007, new California laws regulating the amount of fat, sugar and calories contained in foods available at schools, and the phasing out of soda and some sweetened beverage sales will take effect.  The rest of the nation is looking to California of see if schools can adhere to these strict standards, what the fiscal impact will be, and what student and stakeholder responses to the these changes will be. The Center will asses the impact of this legislation in 50 randomly selected public high schools.  Data will be collected on the effect of these changes on: the food environment and on students' participationin school meal programs, the financial operations of the food service departments, other school entities that sell food and beverages on campus, and students' intake of soda, chips, french fries, and foods that are more nutrient dense such as fruit, vegetables, milk and yogurt.

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Center for Weight and Health School Lunch Initiative Evaluation Project
Project dates: 7/06 - 3/10
Funded by: The Chez Panisse Foundation

The Center for Weight and Health will conduct an evaluation study of the Berkeley Unified School District's School Lunch Initiative, looking at the impact on student behavior and health. The School Lunch Initiative was created in partnership with the Chez Panisse Foundation, Center for Ecoliteracy and the Berkeley Unified School District. The project will collect student and school level data for and correlate it with student exposure to the documented School Lunch Initiative components over three years, accounting for demographic, family and neighborhood environmental factors.

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Childhood Overweight Prevention among Asian Immigrants
Project dates: 10/06 - 9/07
Funded by: USDA/FSNEP

Food habits are considered to be behavior that does not change quickly as immigrants acculturate. The food environment in the U.S. can be quite different from that in the homeland of many Asian immigrants, who may be unable to retain their traditional food patterns due to cost and/or availability, and who may not have been previously exposed to aggressive food marketing. CWH will adapt currently available educational pamphlets in Chinese, Hmong, Korean, and Vietnamese, for use with Cambodians and Laotians, and develop a short 8-12 minute video that will have the potential to be voiced over in various Asian languages.

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Children and Weight:
What Communities Can Do About It
Project dates: 10/99-9/02, extended
Funded by: The California Nutrition Network and the Food Stamp Nutrition Education Program

The goal of this project is to provide low-income shcools and communities with the resources they need to create an environment that fosters healthy growth and development, positive body image and high self-esteem among all children. A resource kit was developed to help empower and support schools and communities as they assess the current environment, identify strengths and weaknesses, establish priorities, develop and implement an action plan.

For more information, contact Joanne Ikeda at jikeda@berkeley.edu

Visit our Children and Weight: What Communities Can Do About It page for Community Coalition Updates.

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Coast-to-Coast Initiatve to Control and Prevent Childhood Obesity: bridge funding
Project dates: 1/07 - current
Funded by: Harvard School of Public Health/ Iacocca Fnd

The Center, with the Harvard School of Public Health, will develop The Coast-to-Coast Initiative to Control and Prevent Childhood Obesity (C2C), a multi-year plan to prevent obesity in multiple states in school, after school, helath care, and community health settings.

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Collaboration with African American 5-A-Day Campaign
Project dates: 1/04-12/04

The Center collaborates with the California Nutrition Network and the Center for Nutrition and Activity Research among African Americans at Drew University to support the development of nutrition and physical activity programs for the African American community in Northern California. For more information regarding materials, training opportunities and other resources, visit African American 5-A-Day .

Communities Make a Difference
Project dates:10/03-9/04, ongoing
Funded by: USDA/FSNEP

Improving and coordinating the delivery of nutrition and physical activity related services and education to food stamp families in counties throughout California, and encouraging families to take advantage of community and environmental resources that support healthy lifestyles

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Evaluating a YMCA-Based Community Intervention to Reduce Risk of Type 2 Diabetes in Overweight African American Children
Project dates: 2/05-1/08
Funded by: USDA/CSREES

The goal of the project is to develop a means by which the risk of type 2 diabetes can be reduced in overweight 9 and 10 year old African American children. The intervention is designed to develop healthy eating behaviors, increase physical activity, and promote self-esteem and self-efficacy with respect to making healthy food choices and being physically active. One group will receive the two year intervention program; the other group will attend a camp and occasional celebratory activities that make no distinct effort to influence behavior. Effectiveness of the program will be assessed by measuring in the blood of the children specific compounds that indicate risk of type 2 diabetes. Also measured will be the food selections and degree of physical activity of the children, and their body height, weight and fatness. Psychosocial characteristics of the children and their families will assess self-esteem and to abilities of the families to make healthy lifestyle changes.

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Gender, Obesity, Reactive Protein and Oxidative Stress
Project dates: 12/03-11/07
Funded by: NIDDK

The long-term objective of this project is to identify nutritional factors that can lower C-reactive protein and lipid peroxidation. C-reactive protein (CRP), a marker of inflammation, has been shown to be "remarkably consistent" in its association with cardiovascular disease, as well as with diabetes and other conditions. Oxidative damage biomarkers have been associated with the etiology of numerous disease conditions, including atherosclerosis, diabetes, COPD and others. Both CRP and lipid oxidation have been shown to have a direct (not correlational) effect on vascular and other tissues, including effects on smooth muscle contractility, induction of intercellular and vascular cell adhesion molecules, enhancement of complement activation, and other mechanisms. We hypothesize that some of the harmful effects of obesity, and of post-menopausal status, are attributable to fat-induced CRP and lipid oxidation. We propose to test whether antioxidant supplements can lower CRP and lipid oxidation.

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Healthy Eating, Active Communities
Project dates: 3/05 – 2/09
Funded by: The California Endowment

The Center for Weight and Health is leading the quantitative evaluation component of Healthy Eating, Active Communities, which will assess the impact of the initiative on health, behaviors, attitudes and knowledge. This four-year California Endowment initiative includes increasing opportunities for physical activity and healthy eating for children and families, particularly in low-income and rural communities, and developing state policy changes that will reduce the risk factors for diabetes and obesity. Six community collaboratives in Chula Vista, Santa Ana, Baldwin Park, South Central Los Angeles, Oakland, and South Shasta County were chosen to implement this initiative. 

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Healthy Eating and Active Communities Quantitative Evaluation
Project dates: 7/06 - 2/09
Funded by: Kaiser Permanente

Kaiser Permanente funding supplements the Center’s California Endowment Healthy Eating and Active Communities project. See project description above.

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Healthy Eating, Active Living Community Health Initiative: Evaluation Proposal, Student Survey Component
Project dates: 1/06 - 2/11
Funded by: East Bay Communty Founcation/Kaiser Permanente

A student survey and fitness testing will be administered to determine the impact of the HEAL initiative on student attitudes, behaviors, and fitness; and assess students’ awareness of, and exposure to, changes made in the various sectors as a result of the HEAL initiative.

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Healthy Eating, Active Living Community Initiative
Project dates: 7/06 - 3/11
Funded by: Group Health Cooperative/Kaiser Permanente

The Center is assisting CHI communities measure the impact of nutrition and physical activity interventions on youth; and providing training and technical assistance during survey administration, data translation and follow-up. CWH is also developing a Library of Indicators (a compilation of nutrition and physical activity assessment tools) which will be available for HEAL grantees and community partners.

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Healthy Eating and Activity for Children
Project dates: 10/06 - 9/07
Funded by: USDA/FSNEP

The Family Fitness: Child Care Healthy Eating and Activity project will promote the balancing of healthy eating and physical activity among food stamp eligible parents and children. The project will engage 200 families in child care sites in Contra Costa, Shasta and LA Counties. Project objectives are to increase the consumption of fruits, vegetables and whole grains, and to increase regular physical activity through coordinated activities, messages, and modeling from child care providers experienced in using these foods and participating in regular physical activity.

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Identify Needs & Interests of Non-English Speaking Parents Regarding Pediatric Overweight
Project dates: 8/04-12/04 (ongoing)
Funded by: Undergraduate Research Oppty Program

A student will conduct focus groups among Asians in Oakland to determine their needs and concerns regarding pediatric overweight. This information will be used to design culturally appropriate educational materials.

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Improving Nutrition in Low-income Vietnamese Families
Project dates:10/07-9/08
Funded by: USDA/FSNEP

With a focus on preventing child overweight, improving pediatric bone health and increasing the effectiveness of existing FSNEP educational pamphlets for Vietnamese families, CWH will put together nutrition education lesson plans, with culturally appropriate learning activities, that can be used by Nutrition Education Assistants working with low-income FSNEP eligible Vietnamese Americans.

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Life in Action Youth Nutrition Education
Project dates: 9/07-8/08
Funded by: Atkins Foundation

The Life In Action program has been successfully implemented primarily in Canada. The Center will work with Life In Action, Canada, to adapt the program to the needs of California schools and to conduct a rigorous formative and process evaluation of the program. The evaluation results will then be used to plan for future expansion of the Life In Action program in California. Through the unique attributes of the program, most notably the engagement of children helping children, this project has the potential to have a great impact on children and families in California.

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Network for a Healthy California Berkeley Impact Evaluation 2007-2008
Project dates: 10/07-9/08
Funded by: Berkeley Unified School District

TheCenter will conduct an impact evaluation of fruit and vegetable consumption during school lunch service. The focus on students’ fruit and vegetable consumption is the result of observations of school lunch and food service made for the SLI Evaluation Project during the 2006-2007 school year in all Berkeley elementary schools. Anecdotally, children’s use and selection of a variety of fresh produce from the salad bar at schools with Network cooking and garden classes appeared to be higher compared to that at schools without Network sponsored cooking and gardening classes. This impact evaluation will provide a systematic evaluation of this observation.

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Northern California HEAL Technical Assistance
Project dates: 10/07-3/08
Funded by: Berkeley Unified School District

CWH will provide technical assistance to 3 Northern California HEAL CHI community collaboratives in Richmond, Modesto, and Santa Rosa to increase healthy eating and physical activity through policy and environmental changes, as well as to support the varied environmental and organizational health promotion efforts in 13 Northern California communities receiving HEAL Local Partnership Grants (San Francisco State University Health Equity Initiative, San Mateo County Health Department, County of Fresno-Department of Community Health, Elk Grove Unified School District, Folsom Cordova Unified School District, South Hayward Neighborhood Collaborative, Youth Leadership Institute, City of Berkeley Public Health Department, Monument Community Partnership, Greater Stockton Emergency Food Bank, Vacaville Unified School District, San Jose State University Foundation, Santa Clara County Office of Education).

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Nutrition Education for Bay Area African Americans
Project dates:10/07-9/08
Funded by: USDA/FSNEP

Nutrition education will be delivered at three YMCA Urban Services sites in Oakland and at the San Francisco Treasure Island Boys and Girls Club to FSNEP eligible children and families that reside in low-income communities in Oakland and San Francisco California. The nutrition goals of this FSNEP project are to increase intake of fruits, vegetables, whole grain cereals and low-fat dairy foods, and reduce intake of sweetened beverages. We aim to increase knowledge regarding the following: the importance of consuming a healthy diet, the importance of daily physical exercise, and strategies for altering daily patterns of physical activity, food selection and food consumption to achieve optimal exercise and nutrient intakes.

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Proceedings: 2007 California Childhood Obesity Conference
Project dates: 8/06 - 10/07 (extended)
Funded by: Gilbert Foundation

The Center is creating a searchable database with keywords and names of each presentation from the 2007California Childhood Obesity Conference (where permission is granted) with PowerPoint and accompanying text edited from transcription. A limited number of printed copies will be prepared with edited summaries of key presentations.

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¿Pueden Escucharme Ahora?
Project dates: 8/07-7/08
Funded by: Foundation for Osteoporosis Research and Education

To reduce the incidence of hip fractures among Latinas in central and east Contra Costa County, the Core Collaborating Team will develop the Pueden Escucharme Ahora?, an intervention plan of action with effective strategies for motivating Latinas to follow through on recommendations to protect themselves from bone loss, osteoporosis and needlessly debilitating fractures. CWH will take the lead in designing the evaluation plan, oversee the management of Spanish language focus group sessions, and analyze the information gathered from these focus groups.

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Randomized, Controlled Community Intervention to Reduce the Risk of Type 2 Diabetes in Overweight African American Children.

The prevalence of pediatric type 2 diabetes has risen at an unprecedented rate. Urgently needed to address this public health crisis are prevention strategies that target high risk children, can be easily replicated, are sustainable, and can be used to inform food aid programs, and community and school organizations traditionally involved in the health and welfare of children. The goal of the proposed project is to reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes in overweight 9- to 10-year-old African American children through a community-based program that includes research, extension and education components.

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Reversing Childhood Obesity Trends: Helping Children Achieve Healthy Weights
Project dates: initiated in 2001 - ongoing
Funded by: USDA

To reduce the prevalence of childhood obesity across the nation through the integration of research, education, and innovative approaches to help children achieve healthy weights.

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Sports4Kids Evaluation
Project dates: 10/07-9/08
Funded by: Sports4Kids

CWH will evaluate the impact of the Sports4Kids program on the health of the children who are at greatest risk of developing obesity in 35 Bay Area schools’ kindergarten through 5th grade classes.  This evaluation will include objective measures of health indices as well as self-report data related to student attitudes, behaviors and perceptions. We will assess changes in BMI for all participants, as well as changes in body composition, fitness and self-reported attitudes and behaviors for all 5th grade participants

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Taking Action Together - Reducing the Risk of Type 2 Diabetes in Low-Income African American Children
Project dates: 6/07-7/08
Funded by: Atkins Foundation

This bridge funding will maintain the ’05 and ’06 cohorts, and to develop and deliver program to the 130 children and their families participating in the Randomized, Controlled Community Intervention to Reduce the Risk of Type 2 Diabetes in Overweight African American Children.

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Team Nutrition Local Wellness Demo Project Evaluation
Project dates: 8/07-12/09
Funded by: Califronia Departmetn of Education Nutrition Services Division

The Center will use a case study approach in California designed to provide information regarding the processes, barriers, needs and effectiveness of the wellness policies required by the Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act of 2004. This information will be used to assist USDA and The Nutrition Services Division of the California Department of Education in providing appropriate training, technical assistance, guidance and support to schools across the country.

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Timing of Eating in Relation to Obesity Development in Black and White Girls Through Adolescence
Project dates: 1/06 - 12/09
Funded by: USDA/CSREES

Evidence suggests that eating less food early in the day and more food later in the day may be related to increased total energy consumption. However, the relationship between timing of food intake and obesity in youth has not been prospectively evaluated. This study seeks to prospectively evaluate the relation of timing of food intake to weight status in girls in the NHLBI Growth and Health study followed through adolescence.

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\YMCA Centered Nutrition Education Delivered to Low-Income African American Children and Their Families in Oakland CA
Project dates: 10/06 - 9/07
Funded by: USDA/FSNEP

Nutrition education will be delivered primarily, not solely, to African American children, youth and their families, with the goal of reducing intake of sweetened beverages, and increasing intake of fruits, vegetables, whole grain cereals and low-fat dairy food. The overall goal of this project is to provide the skills and education needed to foster body weight maintenance via increased physical activity and healthy food choices.

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Recently Completed Projects

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African American Center for Healthy Activity that Nutures Growth & Endurance (CHANGE)
Project dates: 1/03-12/03
Funded by: California Nutrition Network

A resource and technical assistance center promoting and supporting the development of nutrition and physical activity programs for the African American community in Northern California. CHANGE is funded by the California Nutrition Network as part of the African American 5-A-Day campaign and is a sister Center of the Center for Nutrition and Activity Research among African Americans at Drew University

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Agricultural Experiment Station Faculty Involvement
Project dates: 2//01-9/02
Funded by: Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources (DANR)

Explore potential areas and mechanisms for collaboration between AES faculty and Cooperative Extension in general and with the DANR workgroups in particular. Develop proposal ideas, explore funding options and submit at least one collaborative proposal for funding.

For more information, contact Gail Woodward-Lopez at gwlopez@nature.berkeley.edu

Assembly, Delivery and Evaluation of Nutrition Education Programs to Reduce the Risk of Type 2 Diabetes in Overweight Low-Income African American Children
Project dates: 10/05 - 9/06
Funded by: USDA/FSNEP

This project augments funds provided by USDA to reduce risk of type 2 diabetes in overweight 9- to 10-year old African American children from low-income families through a community-based program that includes research, extension and education components. The FSNEP funds will be used to revise, up-date and translate existing nutrition education curriculum materials so that they are appropriate for the overall communities as sampled by the 140 children and families who will participate.

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Assessing the association among food insecurity, child feeding practices and obesity
Project dates: 7/1/04 - 12/1/05
Funded by:USDA/IRP

The overall goal of this project is to assess the impact of maternal foodinsecurity (past and/or current) on child feeding practices that may be related to overweight and obesity among low income families enrolled in the Special Supplemental Nutirtion Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC).

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Berkeley Unified School District (BUSD) Lunch Initiative
Project dates: 1/06 - 5/06
Funded by: Chez Panisse Foundation (CPF)
The Center is an academic partner in the team of experts assembled by the Chez Panisse Foundation to identify quantitative and qualitative data sources and develop a 3 year evaluation plan for the BUSD School Lunch Initiative; identify sources and results of previous school lunch initaitive related research conducted on behalf of BUSD, CPF or its partners; and collect information and coduct interviews on current kitchen/garden projects or related curriculum implementation planned in the BUSD..

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California Bone Health Campaign
Project dates: 1/00-9/02
Funded by: California Department of Health Services

The Center is is developing the evaluation component of a campaign to promote increased intake of 1% milk among Latina mothers and their families in 2 California communities. For more information, contact May Wang at maywang@uclink.berkeley.edu

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California Fresh Start Evaluation
Project dates: 7/06 - 9/07
Funded by: CA Healthy Kids Resources Ct/CDE

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California Hub: Linking Resources for Obesity Prevention
Project dates: 10/00-9/03
Funded by: Centers for Disease Control

This project developed a working group (hub) that is participating in a network of Prevention Research Centers to explore novel approaches to obesity and chronic disease prevention. Center activities include web-site and list serve development, statewide meetings, synthesis of findings on interventions, sharing of expertise and development of fact sheets and policyrecommendations. As a part of this project, the Center is also co-chairing a workgroup to conduct a literature review on the determinants of energy imbalance and to develop recommendations for future research and promising interventions. Other hubs sites include: Harvard, St Louis University, University of North Carolina, University of Oklahoma, University of Washington and University of New Mexico.

For more information, contact Gail Woodward-Lopez at gwlopez@nature.berkeley.edu

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California Plate & Childhood Obesity Prevention
Project dates: 7/06 - 9/07
Funded by: ANR

Although current teaching methods are nutritionally sound, nutrition advisors and their staffs have found that current education based on the Food Guide Pyramid is too abstract for many clients. This project will adapt, test and evaluate a new nutrition education method, the California Plate Method, designed to produce dietary changes known to reduce the likelihood of pediatric obesity. Evaluation in 11 demographically varied California counties, using a randomized research design, will provide evidence needed for modification of current EFNEP and FSNEP nutrition education methods. The Plate Method will be more concrete, and will focus on dietary factors known to prevent pediatric obesity.

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California Obesity Prevention Initiative (COPI)
Project dates: 1/00-9/04
Funded by: California Department of Health Services

Collaborating with the California Department of Health Services to design the intervention and lead the evaluation of a CDC initiative to prevent obesity among children in California. Pilot testing of an innovative strategy to reduce TV viewing among children in select communities that could subsequently be implemented on a larger scale.For more information, contact Gail Woodward-Lopez at gwlopez@nature.berkeley.edu

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California WIC Childhood Obesity Prevention Project (FitWIC)
Project dates: 10/99-9/03
Funded by: Food and Nutrition Section of USDA

The focus of the project is to determine the changes that state WIC agencies and local WIC sites need to make to be more responsive to the problem of childhood obesity. California is the lead state for this USDA five-state WIC Special Projects Grant which is being carried out in Vermont, Virginia, the Intertribal Council of Arizona, and Kentucky. The California project is focusing on the promotion of physical activity as well as working with communities, establishing local task forces, to develop long term, appropriate solutions to the rising problem of childhood obesity among theLatino population in 4 counties.

For more information, contact Wendy Gosliner at wgosline@uclink.berkeley.edu

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Children and Parents Improving Health Together
Project dates:10/03-9/04
Funded by: USDA/FSNEP

The Children and Parents Improving Health Together project is a nutrition and physical activity educational program aimed at improving the health practices of low-income, food stamp eligible children ages birth to eight and their parents or caregivers. The program aims to accomplish this education through a partnership of the University of California at Berkeley, local NFCS advisors, and childcare programs and schools, as well as other community-based organizations.

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Determinants of Energy Imbalance: A Review of Existing Knowledge and Recommendations for Future Research and intervention
Project dates: 10/01-9/03

Funded by: Centers for Disease Control (CDC)

The purpose of this project is to summarize the current knowledge pertaining to the determinants of obverweight and the effectiveness of interventions designed to reduce overweight in order to: identify gaps in knowledge; suggest research to increase the understanding of these determinants; and identify promising target behaviors for the prevention of overweight.

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Dietary Patterning Through Adolescence
Project dates: 10/01-9/03
Funded by: USDA

This study will analyze dietary intake (based on whole foods) of adolescents who particiapted in the NHLBI Growth and Health Study(NGHS) to determine the realtionship between overweight and dietary patterns.

For more information, contact Lorrene Ritchie at lorrene_ritchie@sbcglobal.net

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Development of Eating Patterns and Obesity in African American Girls
Project dates: 12/02-11/05Funded by: USDA-ERS

Tracking eating patterns and their relation to obesity of a large cohort of African American girls from ages 9 to19 in three cities (Cincinnati, Ohio, Washington, DC and Richmond,CA).

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Documentation of Accomplishments and Identification of Strengths and Weaknesses of Community Coalitions Attempting to Impact Pediatric Overweight
Project dates: 10/04-9/05
Funded by: USDA/FSNEP

This proposal will maintain communication with county coalitions that have been supported by FSNEP grants in the past and establish communication with other state and local coalitions posted on the Center for Weight and Health web site. It will document the accomplishments, and evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of the coalitions. Information from two survey instruments will used to provide feedback to coalition leaders, and can be used to make changes to improve the effectiveness of the coalitions and to continue on-going success.

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Eat Smart, Play Hard
Project dates: 7/05-6/06
Funded by: UC/DANR

The Center is providing technical assistance for the Eat Smart. Play Hard. ™  California ! program, which tackles the problem of childhood obesity by providing a supportive, educational environment for a child and an adult pair to learn about nutrition and fitness while having fun together. Designed to engage 6-8 year olds, this hands-on English/Spanish program features nutrition knowledge centers, making delicious fruits and vegetable snacks, and engaging in physical activities with inexpensive sports items like bean bags and balloons. Each pair works together to set nutritional and fitness goals and makes a commitment to help each other reach their goals. The program will be established and evaluated in three California counties utilizing a train-the-trainer strategy. The overall goal is to help 6-8 year old children maintain healthy body weights.

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Effects of Pregnancy on Adolescent Growth and Health
Project dates: 5/02-4/07
Funded by: US Department of Health and Human Services

This study will examine the effect of pregnancy on changes in stature, body size, adiposity and blood lipid profiles among adolescent black and white girls. The findings will be examined specifically in relation to gestational gain and provide a scientific basis for pregnancy weight gain recommendations for adolescents.

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Enhancing Nutrition Education
Project dates: 10/04-9/05
Funded by: FSNEP/FDA

The Enhancing Nutrition Education project is aimed at providing nutrition education and physical activity promotion to food stamp eligible parents and children. Working with childcare centers and county nutrition educators who work with food stamp eligible families to enhance the nutrition education efforts offered in these settings, the program will provide evidence-based information about the effectiveness of working with childcare providers to improve the nutrition and physical activity opportunities and practices of food stamp eligible parents and children.

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Evaluation of the Period of Adiposity Rebound for the Prevention of Obesity
Project dates: 9/05-9/07
Funded by: Univeristy of California Office of the President/Mexus program

 A pilot study to assess the relationship of dietary intake, caregiver feeding practices, and physical activity to the timing of adiposity rebound, which has been shown to be related to risk for subsequent obesity, among Mexican preschool children. 

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Evaluation of California Department of Education (CDE) Nutrition and Physical Activity projects
Project dates: 6/03-5/04
Funded by: California Department of Education

The Center has been asked to lead the evaluation of CDE's Team Nutrition programs and the SB 19 pilot programs all of which are striving to improve the nutrition and physical activity of students in California's schools.

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Evaluation of SB 19 Pupil Nutrition Act
Project dates: 1/03-12/05
Funded by: NIH/subcontract with WestEd

Partnering with WestEd to conduct a randomized, controlled trial to evaluate the impact of the SB 19 on BMI, fitness, physical activity and dietary intake in 4 middle schools and 10 elementary schools in N. California.

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Fit Families
Project dates: 10/01-9/02, extended to 9/30/03
Funded by: USDA Food Stamp Nutrition Education Program

The Fit Families Project will support the activities of three task force groups in California that are working to promote nutrition and physical activity among low-income families with young children in their communities. The project also will develop materials for families and healthcare providors to promote healthful eating and physical activity among low-income families.

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Food Insecurity Resources Development and Distribution
Project dates: 10/01-9/02
Funded by: USDA's Food Stamp Nutrition Education Program (FSNEP)

The Center for Weight and Health will conduct an extensive review of the literature and other resources in order to answer the following questions: What is food insecurity? How can it be measured? What are the most effective ways to measure prevalence? What types of interventions show the most promise? How do we measure success? The information and resources gathered will be made available to nutrition education and related providers in the following form: position papers, fact sheets and policy recommendations; examples of model programs; networking tools that allow providers to access experts and other providers working on these issues; educational materials and other program implementation tools and resources.

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Governor Schwarzenegger's Summit on the Prevention of Obesity
Project dates: 9/04-4/06
Funded by: CDHS

The Center will assist the ad-hoc planning committee with; the design of the Summit process/agenda; identifyng potential topics andpresenters; identifying potential participants in the Advisory committee, Summit event and Summit Follow -up Team; and the creation and review of materials. The Center will also provide advice and consultation to the conference PR firm; serve as scientific expert to answer techincal questions that may arise during the conference; and assist with all aspects of post-conference review, analysis and evaluation.

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Healthy Eating and Childhood Overweight Prevention Grants
Project dates: 8/02-9/03
Funded by: Calif. WIC

Providing technical assistance to 8 collaborative community nutrition projects across the state of California to improve the food and physical activity environment for low-income families.

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Helping School Foodservice Deliver Nutrition Education
Project dates: 10/05 - 9/06
Funded by: USDA/FSNEP

The School Foodservice Nutrition Education project aims to provide information about healthy eating to low-income children and their families. The project will accomplish this by empowering foodservice employees in schools serving food stamp eligible children to provide nutrition education to students and their parents and to advocate for improving the nutritional value of school meals.

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Implementing and Evaluating a Comprehensive Learner Centered Education Porgram to Promote Fruit and Vegetable intake among WIC children and their families
Project dates:10/04-9/07
Funded by: USDA/subcontract with California Dept.of Health Services

A rigorous controlled study evaluating whether Learner Centered Education (LCE) is more effective than traditional education, with the goal of providing data for other WIC programs, agencies serving similar populations, academia, and other stakeholders such that they can apply these findings to their target audiences.

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Implementation and evaluation of a bone health curriculum among adult FSNEP client
Project dates: 10/05 - 9/06
Funded by: USDA/FSNEP

The goal of the this project is to reduce osteoporosis risk in low-income women and their families, specificallly to: implement the use of a bone health curriculum; evaluate its use by FSNEP advisors; and evaluate its effectiveness in changing knowledge, attitudes and behavior among adult FSNEP participants.

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Improving Self-Efficacy of Nutrition Educators
Project dates: 10/03-9/04
Funded by: USDA/FSNEP

This project implements and evaluates the effectiveness of enhancing client education through a staff health promotion model. It is adapted from a recently conducted California Fit WIC staff wellness program that demonstrated a significant positive impact on self-efficacy in educating WIC clients to improve their nutrition and physical activity.

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Latino Children and Parents Improving Health TogetherProject dates:10/03-9/04
Funded by: USDA/FSNEP

Promoting healthy nutritional and physical activity choices among Food Stamp eligible Latino families with young children, through positive changes in children's and parents' knowledge, attitudes and beliefs regarding nutrition and physical activity practices, increasing children and parents' consumption of fruits, vegetables, and healthy snacks, and increasing physical activity.