UTSA and Mexico researchers team up to fight childhood obesity
(Feb. 16, 2017) -- -- Researchers from four different universities, including The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA), recently launched an international pilot program to help lower the rate of childhood obesity in Texas and Mexico.
Dr. Meizi He and Erica Sosa, professors of kinesiology, health and nutrition in the UTSA College of Education and Human Development, are working with a group of health researchers led by Yolanda Flores-Peña from Nuevo León, Tamaulipas, and Zacatecas, Mexico to launch the Healthy Change program, a pilot program designed to educate Hispanic mothers about childhood obesity prevention.
"Childhood obesity is a major public health concern and is disproportionately affecting Hispanic children in the United States and Mexico," said Dr. He. "Mothers are the key influencers to their children's healthy growth."
The international team of researchers has already begun working with two head start centers in San Antonio and with childcare facilities in northern Mexico to implement the intervention program. The findings from their pilot study will be used to refine and further develop the Healthy Change program.
"From a health promotion standpoint, obesity prevention actions will not occur if mothers do not perceive their child's obesity as being a problem," said Sosa. "We hope the Healthy Change Program will positively influence the mothers' perception of their child's health."
Other team members include Velia M. Cárdenas-Villarreal from the Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, Hermelinda Ávila Alpirez from the Universidad Autónoma de Tamaulipas, and Perla María Trejo Ortiz and Roxana Araujo Espino from the Universidad Autónoma de Zacatecas.
The program is funded by grants through the National Council for Science and Technology (CONACYT) and Institute of Nutrition and Health Kellogg's (INSK) in Mexico.
-------------------------------
For more information about Healthy Change, contact Dr. Meizi He at meizi.he@utsa.edu.
Learn more about other UTSA research programs combatting childhood obesity.
Connect with UTSA online at Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram and LinkedIn.
Events
Join the PEACE Center and Wellbeing Services for Denim Day, a day of learning about the importance of consent and why we wear denim on the last Wednesday of the month each April during Sexual Assault Awareness Month. Stop by our Denim Day display to take a photo in front of our Denim Wall, spin the "Is It Consent?" Wheel, and get a Concha or goodie.
Student Union Window Lounge, Main CampusLearn to use Zotero®, a citation manager that can help you store and organize citations you find during your research. Zotero can generate bibliographies in various styles, insert in-text citations and allow you to share sources with collaborators.
Virtual EventThis event will acknowledge graduating seniors from the McNair Scholars program at UTSA before inducting the new cohort of scholars into the program.
North Paseo Building (NPB 5.140), Main CampusAt this memorable celebration, UTSA graduates will be introduced one-by-one to cross the stage and accept their doctoral degrees.
Arts Building Recital Hall, Main CampusRoadrunner Walk is an event for graduating students to have a memorable walk on campus to celebrate an important milestone and their achievements. Graduates will walk along the Paseo while being celebrated by the UTSA community, friends, and family members.
Student Union Paseo, Main CampusCelebrate the accomplishments of College of Education and Human Development, College for Health, Community and Policy, College of Sciences and University College.
Alamodome, 100 Montana St.Celebrate the accomplishments of Alvarez College of Business, College of Liberal and Fine Arts and Klesse College of Engineering and Integrated Design.
Alamodome, 100 Montana St.