Students from the University of Iowa and Grinnell College will conduct research, collect data, and engage community members in the city of Newton to develop projects and programs to promote health and prevent obesity. 

The University of Iowa and Grinnell College, with the support of former Iowa Governor and Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack and funding from the Rockefeller Foundation, are collaborating with the city of Newton, Iowa. The purpose of the partnership is to identify and develop effective community-based programs and projects to support and promote community health and obesity prevention in Newton. Seven students from the University of Iowa College of Public Health and School of Urban and Regional Planning, and five Grinnell College students, led by faculty and staff from both institutions, will conduct this work through Fall 2019. This project seeks to examine community health holistically, looking at connections between food and nutrition, the built environment, and exercise and physical activity. The project team will work closely with stakeholders in Newton to identify the community’s wants and needs and engage with the community in developing projects, programs, and action plans to implement in the future.