Six Southern California communities have each received a $1 million grant from Kaiser Permanente Southern California to encourage people in these HEAL (Healthy Eating Active Living) Zones to eat better and become more physically active as part of daily life.
A HEAL Zone is a small community of 10,000 to 20,000 residents with high obesity rates. The six communities that have been awarded a total of $6 million in grants over the next three years and nine months include Anaheim in Orange County, north Long Beach in Los Angeles County, Ontario in San Bernardino County, Lemon Grove in San Diego County, West Ventura in Ventura County and East Riverside in Riverside County.
In California, one in nine children, one in three teenagers, and more than half of adults are obese or overweight.
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"We need to make changes where people live, work and play," says David Cuan, assistant chief of pediatrics, Kaiser Permanente Riverside Medical Center. "Otherwise, we will continue to see obesity rates rise and we'll be treating more children and adults with chronic and debilitating diseases that often result from obesity, such as diabetes and heart disease."
Kaiser says HEAL Zones in Southern California have three specific goals: to decrease calorie consumption, increase consumption of healthy food and beverages such as fruits and vegetables and drinking water, and increase physical activity.
HEAL Zones have parks, stores, and schools that are being targeted for change so that people living in these low-income communities can more easily engage in healthy behaviors and make healthy choices. The vision of the HEAL Zones, Kaiser officials say, "is to transform these communities so that walking and biking on safe routes, buying affordable fresh fruits and vegetables close to home, exercising in clean and safe parks, and participating in active after-school programs all become a part of a resident's daily life."
The zones include a coalition of partners such as local public agencies, schools, community-based organizations, local businesses, faith-based organizations, and health care providers committed to fighting obesity and preventing diseases.
In addition to the six HEAL Zones, Kaiser Permanente also is awarding $650,000 in partnership grants to Antelope Valley ($300,000), Whittier communities ($300,000) in Los Angeles County, and Kern County ($50,000) to combat obesity.
The HEAL Zones are a continuation of Kaiser Permanente's HEAL program which began in 2004 to address obesity and related health conditions. Since then, Kaiser Permanente has committed more than $21 million in HEAL efforts across Southern California.
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