These findings will provide a unique model for a statewide nutrition education program for the prevention of childhood obesity. Results will provide culturally-sensitive-age-appropriate educational materials needed to effectively target Puerto Rican youth (12-14 y/o) to promote behavior changes in nutrition and physical activity. To accomplish these objectives, a nutrition education learning-by-doing program focused on promoting changes in behaviors toward healthy eating will be implemented and evaluated within Extension's 4-H clubs. The supportive general objectives are: 1) Generation of knowledge on socio-economic, cultural and environmental barriers to healthy eating and physical activity through applied research 2) Development and validation of culturally-sensitive and age-appropriate nutrition education materials (printed and computer-based) targeting these barriers 3) Pilot-testing the effectiveness of the educational materials prepared for the targeted age group 4) Measure changes in behavior through the adoption of recommended practices after using the educational materials (e.g., increasing consumption of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low-fat milk and increase physical activity). The overall project goal is to prevent and reduce the prevalence of obesity in Puerto Rican children (12-14 y/o) through the development of culturally-sensitive-age-appropriate nutrition education materials. The need for culturally-and-age-sensitive educational materials in Spanish is imperative for the success of any obesity prevention initiative. Budget constraints to develop culturally-specific nutrition education materials for at-risk communities limit the possibilities of an effective obesity prevention program. Data reported on the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (2013) showed that 25.8% of adolescents were overweight or obese. Non Technical Summary Childhood obesity is a major concern in Puerto Rico.
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