FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

January 24, 2001

For further information, contact:
Susan G. Zepeda
Chief Executive Officer
Phone: 714-245-1650
Fax: 714-245-1653

GRANT TARGETS CHILDHOOD OBESITY

January 24, 2001 - The HealthCare Foundation for Orange County has awarded a "Partners for Health" grant of over $169,000 to Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian and Latino Health Access, to involve parents and school leadership in strategies to curb the alarming increase in overweight among children. In response to a growing body of research that targets causes and consequences of obesity, The HealthCare Foundation for Orange County launched a targeted initiative to address these concerns among low-income families in central Orange County.

The Hoag Hospital/Latino Health Access effort teams community health leaders with parents, students and staff of four elementary schools in the Santa Ana area, to develop and implement effective policies and strategies to promote sound nutrition and increased exercise for youth at risk. Foundation Executive Susan Zepeda notes that greater reliance on fast food and prepared foods, "supersize" portions and reduced options for safe, low-cost exercise have all contributed to the disturbing trend. Dr. Gwyn Parry, Director of Community Medicine for Hoag Hospital, sees the present work with parent groups, school personnel, children and the community as a pilot effort. With the approaches developed, designed and tested through the Partners for Health grant, Latino Health Access and Hoag will be able to bring effective strategies they identify to a broader audience of parents and policy-makers.

Zepeda credits the Countywide "Children and Weight Task Force," under the leadership of County Nutrition Consultant Dawn Robinson, with helping the Foundation research this important local health concern. Recent research, such as the 2000 California High School Fast Food Survey and the California Teen Eating, Exercise and Nutrition Survey - both sponsored by the Public Health Institute - helped Foundation staff to shape their current Weight Initiative.

Also funded in the Foundation's latest grant cycle were three efforts to increase the ethnic diversity of the local healthcare workforce, to break down cultural and linguistic barriers to care for low-income families in central Orange County. Anaheim Memorial Hospital, Kaiser Permanent, St. Joseph Hospital and UCI will all participate in these collaborative efforts.

The HealthCare Foundation for Orange County is a private foundation, funded in large part by the proceeds of the sale of United Western Medical Centers to Tenet. These funds are augmented by charitable trusts, created by community residents who wish to use part of their estate to address local healthcare needs. The Foundation's charitable mission is to assist low-income families in Orange County to obtain needed health information and treatment.