Cal State Long Beach nutrition professor Gail Frank is coordinating an effort to eventually have CSULB graduates educate pre-school students on healthy eating habits.
The program is divided into three phases: Develop a tool kit, certify undergraduates and educate the community.
Although the second phase won’t begin for another four years, students at the university, regardless of their area of study, will be able to take courses in health science and nutrition to earn a certificate to teach in a community setting.
This program was funded by a $3.5 million grant to Cal State Long Beach that was approved by the Department of Agriculture last year.
Long Beach has 31 grocery stores, 104 fast food restaurants and 133 mini-markets, according to 2010 business licenses obtained by ReThinking Greater Long Beach.
The nonprofit group revealed 27 percent of fifth-, seventh- and ninth-graders are obese. The findings are based off government-compiled data of 5,000 students within the Long Beach Unified School District.
“If children keep this rate of obesity, they will not live longer than their parents,” Frank said.
Nationally, 17 percent of children are obese, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
“I see it every day,” said physical education teacher Michael Guzik, from Downey.
Athletic training major Ashley Broughton, 24, said fast food is the likely culprit.
“It’s not good for you, but it’s quick and easy,” she said.
Long Beach resident Cheryl Shelton said she doesn’t let her children eat fast food. She said children should be taught healthy eating habits at a young age and there should be more public service announcements on TV to encourage them.
The study also revealed greater instances of obese children living near mini markets and fast food retailers in Long Beach.
Cal State Dominguez Hills nursing professor Lauren Outland, a registered nurse who works with immigrant families, said there are a number of setbacks that don’t necessarily stem from fast food and sugary drinks.
She said sugary drinks serve two purposes for immigrants from countries suffering from food scarcity: Love and affluence.
“If you have a few extra dollars — if you want to treat your children — that’s what you’re going to give them,” Outland said. “That was something only truly affluent families in Mexico and Central America could give their kids. It’s a sign of wealth.”
Healthier alternatives, such as fresh fruits and homemade meals, often labeled with higher prices, deter families with tight budgets and busy schedules. Fast food restaurants continue to be a cheap and convenient option for families on the go.
Outland, who specializes in weight control, said teens tackling obesity almost have no chance of reversing its effects. She said the best way to prevent full onset of diabetes is through prevention.
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