August 10, 2006 :: No. 12

In an effort to combat chiildhood obesity before it becomes a problem for children in south-central Fullerton, a coalition of community groups led by Cal State Fullerton is conducting a Healthy Kids Summer Camp at Richman Elementary School.

Local preschool-age children and their parents enrolled in the program get together twice a week to learn about food groups, nutrition and exercise. The program continues Tuesdays and Thursdays through Aug. 17.

“We are trying to increase good nutrition and exercise habits because obesity is a very big problem in our country,” said Edna Canto Herzog, a registered nurse who is conducting the camp lessons. “One way we can reach our children is through their parents, and that’s what we’re doing here. We’re trying to raise awareness of good food choices that parents can make for their kids.”

The program is paying off, according to participants.

“This is a great camp,” said Cesar Figueroa, who has been attending the sessions with his 4-year-old daughter, Michelle. “It has opened my eyes and changed our eating habits dramatically. We used to always get hamburgers and large French fries from fast food restaurants on Saturdays, but I’m weaning my kids off those greasy foods and replacing them with good things, like vegetables and fruits, because I want them to be healthy and fit. We never used to exercise either, but now we ride our bikes to the park every evening, and we play soccer at the park.”

Figueroa’s change in routine and mindset is what program organizers are aiming for, said Christine L. Latham, professor of nursing. She said the densely populated south-central Fullerton area was targeted because it has one of the highest rates of diabetes morbidity in Orange County. 

The goal is to expand the camp to a year-round program that would include the services of a full-time school nurse who would be at the Valencia Community Center, offering obesity prevention education, Latham said.

Such expansion would require funding that the St. Joseph Health System Foundation is considering granting, said Barry Ross, vice president of St. Jude Medical Center’s Healthy Communities.

“The diabetes mortality rate in the 92832 zip code area [south-central Fullerton] is twice the county average,” he said. On average, 29 out of 100,000 people die of diabetes-related illnesses in the area while the Orange County average is 15 per 100,000.

Ross called the summer camp “a pilot project for us to see how we can tackle obesity, which often leads to diabetes. We’re hoping parents will make positive behavior changes in the choices they make in terms of food and activity levels.”

The St. Joseph Health System Foundation funded the camp — a collaborative effort of Cal State Fullerton’s Department of Nursing, St. Jude Heritage Medical Group, the Valencia Community Center and the Fullerton School District.

“This partnership between Cal State Fullerton, St. Jude Medical Center and the community really has many benefits,” Ross said. “It’s a good model on how different organizations in the community, by partnering together, can make a real difference in the health of the community."

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