Project Grant 20233380040452

** AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** SINCE 2002, THE CENTER HELPING OBESITY IN CHILDREN END SUCCESSFULLY, INC. (C.H.O.I.C.E.S.) HAS DELIVERED A MESSAGE OF HEALTH TO LOW-INCOME FAMILIES LIVING IN THE FOOD DESERTS OF ATLANTA THROUGH COOKING CLASSES, WORKSHOPS, SUMMER CAMPS, AND HEALTH EXPOS. OUR MISSION IS TO BE A RESOURCE CENTER FOR CHILDREN WHO ARE OVERWEIGHT OR AT GREATER RISK OF OBESITY. TO ACCOMPLISH THIS MISSION, WE INTEGRATE EVIDENCE-BASED RESOURCES AND CULTURALLY APPROPRIATE PRACTICES USING A HYBRID PROGRAM DELIVERY PLATFORM. THE OVERALL GOAL IS TO HELP MORE FAMILIES TACKLE CHILDHOOD OBESITY AND OBESITY RELATED CHRONIC DISEASES SO THAT THEY CAN LEAD HEALTHIER LIVES. AT A MINIMUM, C.H.O.I.C.E.S. WILL PROVIDE NUTRITION EDUCATION LESSONS VIA COOKING CLASSES TO THOSE THAT CAN AFFORD TO BUY FOOD. SIMULTANEOUSLY,C.H.O.I.C.E.S. WILL ALSO PROMOTE HEALTHY FOOD CONSUMPTION VIA MOBILE FOOD DISTRIBUTIONS TO THOSE WHO CANNOT AFFORD TO BUY FOOD. WE WILL ACHIEVE OUR GOAL WHEN ALL METRO ATLANTA FAMILIES MOVE FROM THE MARGINS INTO THE CENTER OF THE HEALTHY EATING AND LIVING MOVEMENT.THERE IS AN URGENT NEED TO TACKLE OBESITY AND DIABETES, ESPECIALLY WITH THE REDUCTION OF COVID-19 PANDEMIC RELATED FOOD SUBSIDY PROGRAMS. THIS WILL ADVERSELY AFFECT THE INCREASING RATES OF OBESITY ARE ALREADY HAPPENING NOT ONLY IN THE UNITED STATES, BUT ON AN INTERNATIONAL LEVEL AS WELL. ACCORDING TO THE WORLD OBESITY FEDERATION'S 2023 ATLAS, PREDICTS THAT 51% OF THE WORLD, OR MORE THAN 4 BILLION PEOPLE, WILL BE OBESE OR OVERWEIGHT WITHIN THE NEXT 12 YEARS. FURTHER, THAT CHILDHOOD OBESITY COULD MORE THAN DOUBLE FROM 2020 LEVELS, TO 208 MILLION BOYS AND 175 MILLION GIRLS BY 2035. (WORLD OBESITY FEDERATION, 2023) THESE PREDICTIONS MAY SEEM ALARMING, BUT HISTORY HAS ALREADY PROVEN THEM TO BE A LIKELY OUTCOME. WITHIN THE PAST 30 YEARS, THE NUMBER OF OBESE CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS IN THE U.S. HAS TRIPLED (CLEVELAND CLINIC, 2021). ACCORDING TO THE CDC, TODAY APPROXIMATELY 13.7 MILLION CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS, AGES 2-19, SUFFER FROM OBESITY AND ARE LIKELY TO BECOME OVERWEIGHT ADULTS, THUS INCREASING THEIR RISK OF HEART DISEASE, TYPE 2 DIABETES, AND OTHER HEALTH ISSUES. WE ALSO KNOW THAT OBESITY CAN HAVE DETRIMENTAL EFFECTS UPON A CHILD'S MENTAL AND SOCIAL WELL-BEING. THIS CAN MANIFEST AS BULLYING AT SCHOOL OR A CHILD'S INABILITY TO LEARN COURSEWORK AT THEIR GRADE LEVEL. WHEN CHILDREN ARE OVERWEIGHT, THIS OFTEN LEADS TO MORE SERIOUS MEDICAL ISSUES WHEN THEY REACH ADULTHOOD. OBESITY IS A LEADING RISK FACTOR FOR TYPE 2 DIABETES. GEORGIA HAS A DIABETES EPIDEMIC THAT IS AFFECTING MINORITIES LIVING IN LOW-INCOME AREAS DISPROPORTIONATELY. ACCORDING TO THE AMERICAN DIABETES ASSOCIATION, AS OF 2021, APPROXIMATELY 1,013,358 ADULTS IN GEORGIA (12.4 % OF THE ADULT POPULATION) HAVE DIABETES. ANOTHER ESTIMATED 234,000 GEORGIANS HAVE DIABETES BUT THEY DON'T KNOW IT (GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH, 202). ADDITIONALLY, DIABETES RATES ARE STRONGLY CORRELATED WITH INCOME. GEORGIANS AGES 25+ WHO EARN LESS THAN $25,000 A,YEAR ARE 2.25 TIMES MORE LIKELY TO HAVE DIABETES THAN THOSE WHO EARN MORE THAN $75,000 ANNUALLY (CDC, 2020). DIABETES IS NOW YET ANOTHER EPIDEMIC ADVERSELY AFFECTING LOW INCOME FAMILIES WITH ONSETS BEING TRACKED IN MORE YOUNG ADULTS THAN EVER BEFORE.C.H.O.I.C.E.S. WORKS TO ADDRESS THE COMPLEX AND INTERRELATED ISSUES OF FOOD INSECURITY, POOR NUTRITION, OBESITY, AND DIABETES THROUGH CULTURALLY-RESPONSIVE PROGRAMMING THAT IS INTERGENERATIONAL. WE USE INNOVATIVE APPROACHES TO MOVE DISADVANTAGED CHILDREN AND FAMILIES FROM THE MARGINS INTO THE CENTER OF THE HEALTHY EATING AND LIVING MOVEMENT. WE PROMOTE FOOD AS FUN AND MEDICINE, AND WE BELIEVE THAT COOKING CAN BE COOL AND ENJOYABLE. MOST IMPORTANTLY, WE PROVIDE FAMILIES WITH THE SKILLS NEEDED TO PREPARE HEALTHY MEALS AT HOME AND ARE A COMMUNITY RESOURCE TO INCREASE ACCESSIBILITY TO HEALTHY FOODS IN A DIGNIFIED MANNER.