Child Obesity -- A Community's Response

Series produced by Karen Brown

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PRX default Series image 

Three parts (each can stand alone) profiling one community clinic and several families in Holyoke, MA -- one of the state's poorest cities -- struggling with an epidemic of childhood obesity.

More than half of the children who enter the doors of the Holyoke Health Center -- which serves a primarily low-income, Puerto Rican population -- are overweight or obese. So the clinic recently launched an intensive, community-based program to help families change their exercise and eating habits, even as they struggle against social and environmental factors that make healthy living a challenge in itself. Part one introduces the clinical approach and its challenges; Part 2 profiles one overweight 9-year-old girl trying her best to lose weight; Part 3 looks at graduates of the program who are trying to spread the message to the wider community.


3 Pieces

Order by: Newest First | Oldest First
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Families in the low-income community of Holyoke, MA -- who successfully lost weight through a community clinic program -- are trying to share their...

Bought by KBCS 91.3 FM Community Radio, New Hampshire Public Radio, WAMC Northeast Public Radio, and Iowa Public Radio


  • Added: Jul 16, 2010
  • Length: 05:17
  • Purchases: 4
Caption: PRX default Piece image
This feature profiles a 9-year-old girl named Kihuanna who, at 4 foot one and 139 pounds, has a body mass index twice what it should be. With the h...

Bought by KBCS 91.3 FM Community Radio, New Hampshire Public Radio, WAMC Northeast Public Radio, and Iowa Public Radio


  • Added: Jul 16, 2010
  • Length: 05:17
  • Purchases: 4
Caption: PRX default Piece image
One health center in Holyoke, MA addresses the 50 percent rate of overweight and obese children in this predominantly low-income, Puerto Rican comm...

Bought by KBCS 91.3 FM Community Radio, New Hampshire Public Radio, WAMC Northeast Public Radio, and Iowa Public Radio


  • Added: Jul 16, 2010
  • Length: 05:05
  • Purchases: 4