A Community-based Approach to Combat Indiana's High Obesity Rate
Channel: Purdue University
Date: 2018-11-30

Co-presented by Angela Abbott, Assistant Dean and Associate Director, Purdue University Health and Human Sciences Extension,

and Tim Gavin, Professor and Head, Purdue University Department of Health and Kinesiology

In 2016, Tim Gavin, professor and head of Purdue’s Department of Health and Kinesiology, received a two-year, $1.15 million grant from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to develop and implement evidence-based community strategies to address the high incidence of adult obesity in Indiana. The CDC funded Purdue in part due to the University’s excellent extension offices located in all Indiana counties, which provides the opportunity to implement successful strategies throughout Indiana.

Gavin along with College of Health and Human Sciences Extension staff have focused their efforts on two Indiana counties with over 40% adult obesity rates and with a combined population of approximately 90,000 residents. In collaboration with local partners, the goal of the grant was to build sustainable, health oriented coalitions focused on identifying areas of community need and implementing evidence-based strategies to increase access to healthy foods and opportunities for physical activity. 

Angela Abbott, a registered dietitian, has helped design numerous programs to educate the people of Indiana about the importance of proper nutrition. She is currently involved in two multistate U.S. Department of Agriculture-funded teams from the North Central region working on integrated research and Extension projects. One grant is to implement a community development model of Extension intervention to prevent childhood obesity; the other is to develop local food policy councils in rural communities to improve food security.

"Obesity is a serious public health concern. At the community level, tackling this disease begins through understanding and supporting individual community needs. Each Purdue Extension office is a trusted community resource with the expertise and passion to team with communities in implementing long-term solutions to combat this public health crisis." -Tim Gavin

 Learn more about Purdue University College of Health and Human Sciences at https://purdue.edu/hhs