One San Diego community is hoping to clean up its act, starting with its calorie count. Lemon Grove is getting a community health makeover with the help of a local hospital.
It's called the Healthy Eating Active Living initiative or Heal, for short. Five Southern California communities were given grants so they can improve overall health.
With Latino obesity rates at an all time high, the city of Lemon Grove was a top priority.
Golden Avenue Elementary School Principal Rick Oser says Lemon Grove has very high obesity rates among children and families.
He said it does not help that the city has mainly fast food restaurants and that access to healthier options are not always close by.
But with a $1 million grant from Kaiser Permanente, the hope is to get the community in shape.
Part of the plan includes transforming a basketball lot into an enhanced community recreation center.
Walking paths will also surround the city's famous Lemon.
Golden Avenue will become pedestrian friendly and bring in a weekly farmers market.
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Oser says the hospital's Heal Zone initiative, will also help encourage his school's healthy habits program.
"Teaching those healthy habits at a very early age is critical because those healthy habits will carry through, throughout a child's life," said Oser.
The Heal zone project is part of a 3-year plan. The details are still coming together but it could also include a wellness program for school district employees.
Kaiser says the walking paths and the new recreation center will be free for all to use at no charge.
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