Overweight and obesity have become major public health concerns in the United States, reaching epidemic proportions among adults and children in recent years. Obesity is not just a cosmetic disorder, but a disorder with tremendous public health implications. Among adults obesity is associated with increased risk for high blood pressure, diabetes, hypercholesterolemia, osteoarthritis, coronary artery disease, gallbladder disease and some cancers. Although obesity-related diseases do not manifest until adulthood, risk factors, particularly cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors, such as elevated BP, excess weight, and abnormalities in serum lipid levels are evident in childhood. Research findings suggest that the risk factors evident in childhood often become chronic diseases in adulthood. Recent estimates suggest that obesity accounts for 300,000 deaths annually. Only smoking exceeds obesity in its contribution to total mortality rates in the United States. Fortunately, however, obesity-related mortality and morbidity are preventable. The long term objective of Project M-PAC is to demonstrate the value of bringing academic institutions and community organizations together in an effort to achieve greater health equity for minority populations. More specifically, this project is designed to mobilize effective academic and community partnerships into action-empowering communities, that are disproportionately effected by adverse health conditions, with the knowledge and skills necessary to reduce and or eliminate racial/ethnic health disparities through culturally-sensitive, locally-administered, physical activity and nutrition interventions.
