CHEF

Culinary Health Education & Fitness (C.H.E.F.)

BMI data from Samaritan Health Services found that 16% of Linn County, 13% of Benton County, and 21 % of Lincoln County children ages 2-17 had been identified as overweight or obese. To target this public health issue, and to expand on previous work led by the Coast to the Cascades Coordinated Approach to Child Health (CATCH) Program, the Coast to Cascades Culinary Health Education & Fitness (C.H.E.F.) Program was born. The C.H.E.F. Program was funded by a HRSA Network Development grant totaling $884,631 over the course of three years from 2017-2020. The focus of the grant was to strengthen network connectivity and build partnerships through program activities. It heavily expanded upon the CATCH grant which was funded by a Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) grant from 2012-2015. Both grants sought to improve the health of youth and reduce childhood obesity.

Partnerships & Grant Activities

Partnerships:
• Obesity Prevention Coalition
• COMP-NW
• Linus Pauling Institute
• Food Share of Lincoln County
• OSU Moore Family Center
• OSU Extension Service of Lincoln County

Grant Activities:
• Goal 1: Implement nutrition-focused education courses for children and families to empower Lincoln, rural Benton and East Linn County families to be self-sufficient in the kitchen and make healthy food choices.
• Goal 2: Expand CATCH as a sustainable program for the promotion of health and the attainment and maintenance of a healthy weight for Lincoln, rural Benton and East Linn County children.
• Goal 3: Increase the consumption of fruits and vegetables among children in Lincoln, rural Benton and East Linn counties. Offer Tasting Table opportunities at schools.
• Goal 4: Establish culinary education as a vital and sustainable component of local obesity prevention efforts by building local capacity to promote and deliver standardized courses and introducing the next generation of physicians to its value for patients.