How teaching kitchens help families fight obesity

This is particularly important in Tennessee, ranked as one of America’s four most obese states.

"We are pleased to be able to offer this important program at Coleman Community Center. We are hopeful that the “Teaching Kitchen” will have a positive impact for all those who participate. This partnership represents a valuable addition to the range of beneficial programs offered to our constituencies," said Metro Parks Director Roy Wilson.

The Collaborative will review the success of the programs during an onsite visit by NACo attendees to the Coleman Community Regional Center, 384 Thompson Lane, from 9:30-11:30 a.m. State and local officials and lawmakers, as well as media outlets, are invited to attend.

The Collaborative will highlight two of its programs: one is a state-funded intervention for Latino families with children whose weight puts them at high risk for diabetes; the other builds healthy cooking skills for families. The Nashville Collaborative has been asked to discuss innovative partnerships and programs with visiting policymakers so they can implement these ideas in their own counties to decrease pediatric obesity, particularly in Latino families.

“Knowledge is necessary, but not sufficient, when it comes to changing behaviors,” said Shari Barkin, M.D., director of the Division of General Pediatrics at Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt and the executive director of the Nashville Collaborative. “The goal is to focus on family-based changes that will last. For example, the teaching kitchens focus on building sustainable skills to prepare nutritious meals.”

The Nashville Collaborative, launched in June 2008, seeks to decrease childhood obesity by offering family-centered, community-based programs and services to families and children of Nashville. NACo is focusing on the key health concern of childhood obesity, and has a grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to work with counties on this issue.

NACo is the only national organization that represents county governments in the United States. Founded in 1935, NACo advances issues with a unified voice before the federal government, improves the public's understanding of county government, helps counties find and share innovative solutions through education and research, and provides value-added services to save counties and taxpayers money.

Written by Monroe Carell Jr. from Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt
Contact: Laurie Holloway, (615) 322-4747