October 17, 2016

CDC $1.15 million grant to help reduce obesity in two Indiana counties

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Thanks to a $1.15 million grant, Purdue University health experts will work closely with Jackson and Lawrence counties to develop and implement communitywide strategies to deal with a high incidence of adult obesity.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention awarded the two-year grant, "Reducing obesity in Indiana through community involvement to increase prevention," to Tim Gavin, professor and head of the Department of Health and Kinesiology. Gavin is partnering with Purdue Extension to use the Community Champions for Healthy Indiana, which is designed to build community leadership and support resources to address local health needs.

 "Obesity is a serious public health concern, and fixing the problem begins with understanding and supporting each individual community's needs," Gavin said. "Each Purdue Extension office is a trusted community resource, and that gives us a foundation to build on as we work together to create long-term solutions for this public health problem."

Also collaborating on the project are Donna Vandergraff, a nutrition specialist with Purdue Extension; Willie Burgess, managing director of the Discovery Learning Research Center; and Weiling Li, assessment specialist at the Discovery Learning Research Center; as well as Joni Muchler, extension educator from Jackson County, and Katie Zuber, extension educator from Lawrence County. The Discovery Learning Research Center will evaluate the success of the interventional strategies. The grant runs through October 2018.

The Department of Health and Kinesiology is part of the College of Health and Human Sciences

Writer: Amy Patterson Neubert, 765-494-9723, apatterson@purdue.edu 

Source: Tim Gavin, 765-494-3179, gavin1@purdue.edu

Purdue University, 610 Purdue Mall, West Lafayette, IN 47907, (765) 494-4600

© 2015-22 Purdue University | An equal access/equal opportunity university | Copyright Complaints | Maintained by Office of Strategic Communications

Trouble with this page? Disability-related accessibility issue? Please contact News Service at purduenews@purdue.edu.