Dr. Linda Wofford, Associate Professor in the School of Nursing, recently was named as co-principal investigator for Project Diabetes, an eleven-month grant from the State of Tennessee to impact obesity rates and diabetes incidence in the high risk African American school-aged population.

The grant will evaluate an existing after-school program at McGruder Family Resource Center in north Nashville, and will include participation from Belmont undergraduate and graduate nursing students.  The program uses the CASTLES curriculum to help the children increase their physical activity, develop skills to improve nutritional choices, and improve self-esteem related to school performance.  In addition to evaluation of the existing after-school program, the long-term focus is to impact a community identified need (increasing childhood obesity) with a sustainable community-based program.

The program includes several community partners:  McGruder Family Resource Center, United Way, Matthew Walker Comprehensive Health Center, Metro Nashville Public Schools, Vanderbilt Center for Health Services, and Belmont University School of Nursing.