Children Public Health 

Fresno battles fat: Childhood obesity in the San Joaquin Valley

Partner: 
Valley Public Radio
Summary: 

The term "obesity epidemic" is often in the news these days. For residents of Fresno County, in the heart of the health-challenged San Joaquin Valley, that issue hits particularly close to home. About 36 percent of adolescents, ages 12 - 17, are overweight or obese. Their parents fare even worse -- fifty-seven percent of the county's adults are overweight or obese. This project includes two radio stories produced for Valley Public Radio. The first focuses on an obese teenager who says his diabetes diagnosis saved his life. The second radio piece looks at obesity prevention in Fresno. Among the voices is a nutrition educator, who is overweight herself. She is struggling to get healthier alongside her students. The project includes a Center-organized expert panel on obesity education, prevention and policy, featured on Valley Public Radio's Quality of Life program.

Results
Fresno teen finds hope in diagnosis
Lauren M. Whaley, CHCF Center for Health Reporting | July 7, 2011
When Victor Ycong was diagnosed with diabetes, he thought his life was over. At 6-foot-1 and 228 pounds, the 15-year-old Fresno teenager was already at risk for a slew of diseases associated with being obese. But, he says, his diabetes diagnosis saved him. Now, he exercises and eats better. Listen to the first of two stories about childhood obesity in Fresno County, where 36 percent of adolescents, ages 12 to 17, are overweight or obese. Statewide, that number is about 29 percent.
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Results
Experts discuss childhood obesity
Lauren M. Whaley, CHCF Center for Health Reporting | July 7, 2011
In conjunction with our report on childhood obesity in Fresno County, the Center helped organize an on-air discussion about childhood obesity in the San Joaquin Valley. Following Lauren Whaley’s report, Quality of Life show host Joe Moore spoke with experts Genoveva Islas-Hooker and Sara Bosse about how and why an increasing number of young people in the Valley are facing obesity. Islas-Hooker is the Regional Program Coordinator for the Central California Regional Obesity Prevention Program.
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Results
Obesity Education: One Woman's Lessons
Lauren M. Whaley, CHCF Center for Health Reporting | August 31, 2011
Last month, new data came out ranking California as the 12th skinniest state in the union. But, you wouldn't know it living in the San Joaquin Valley, where one in three people is obese and therefore at risk for a slew of diseases, including diabetes, heart attack and early death. In her first story in this series, reporter Lauren Whaley profiled an obese 15-year-old and his attempts to get healthy.
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Results
Valley Edition: Obesity Education in the San Joaquin Valley
Lauren M. Whaley, CHCF Center for Health Reporting | August 31, 2011
Following reporter Lauren Whaley's story on obesity education in Fresno, Valley Public Radio hosts an hour-long show on obesity in the San Joaquin Valley. Listen to the entire show here:
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