Friday, April 4, 2025
4/4/2025
Arkansas High Obesity Project - This proposal for the Arkansas High Obesity Project (ArHOP) builds upon and broadens the work completed in Arkansas across both of the previous High Obesity Program iterations—AR Healthy LIFE (DP14-1416) and the Arkansas Delta Region Obesity Program (ArDROP) (DP18-1809). Through expanded implementation of evidence-based strategies, ArHOP seeks to address health equity by targeting rural populations, and populations disproportionately affected by chronic disease. Proposed strategies include policy, systems, and environmental (PSE) change approaches that increase access to healthier foods and places for physical activity, increase support and collaborative partnerships for family healthy weight programs, and improve policies that advance early childcare and education standards related to nutrition, physical activity, and breastfeeding. Leveraging the credibility of county Extension offices in the eleven targeted counties, expertise of the land grant university system, and a broad network of state and local partners, we will use a community-based participatory approach to expand program reach. Work will focus on developing new and strengthening current key community partnerships among health-focused stakeholders, identifying key priorities and developing capacity, and providing communities with assistance to access or generate monetary resources and human-capital assets to improve HOP outcomes. Key activities and expected outcomes, including increased access to healthier foods; increased policies, plans and community design changes that increase access to physical activity; increased early childcare and education policies that strengthen nutrition, physical activity, and breastfeeding standards and Farm to ECE programs; and, increased support for implementing family healthy weight programs are outlined in the proposal’s Work Plan. All strategic approaches and activities have been designed to address health equity and health disparities, and ensure sustainability beyond the period of performance.
HHS’ Tracking Accountability in Government Grants System (TAGGS) website provides access to detailed descriptions of grants, loans, aggregated direct payments and other types of financial assistance awarded by the HHS Operating Divisions (OPDIVs) and the Office of the Secretary Staff Divisions (STAFFDIVs).