The American obesity epidemic has become a national prevention priority. Underserved communities are particularly vulnerable to obesity-related risks because of barriers to engaging in healthy living habits. The Waco-McLennan County Public Health District recently detected high obesity levels in some area neighborhoods of Waco where environmental barriers to physical activity and healthy eating exist. Additional information is needed about related attitudes, knowledge, behaviors, resource access, and community capacity to invoke change. 

For phase 1 of this project, focus groups and household surveys were used to obtain information in zip code 76704 in 2015 and recently were used to obtain information in zip code 76706 as phase 2. This project was designed to answer the following questions:

1. What factors contribute to obesity rates in 76706?

2. What self-reported active living- and eating-related attitudes and behaviors exist among participants?

3. What resources are participants aware of (resource awareness), using (resource use), and needed (resource needs) to develop and maintain healthy personal and/or family active living and healthy eating habits? 

Check out the full report here.