By MARISSA GARCIA 
Published: February 21, 2014

Irene C. Gonzalez, Vida Carolina’s host, on the left. Dr. Mae Lynn Reyes-Rodriguez, PAS Project’s PI, on the right.

Univision 40, North Carolina’s first local Spanish-language television station, is helping the nearby Latino communities become aware of UNC-Chapel Hill’s PAS Project, a NIMH-funded study that is providing free treatment for Latinas with eating disorders. Dr. Reyes-Rodriguez, the study’s Principal Investigator, was featured on the TV show called “Vida Carolina”, which is a show dedicated to educating the community on health-related issues that are directly affecting the Latino community in North Carolina. Dr. Reyes-Rodriguez talked about her research study in detail and conveyed the message that Latino males and Latina females also suffer from eating disorders to the same extent as other ethnic/racial groups.  Dr. Reyes-Rodriguez was one of the three guests interviewed on the show. María Inés Robayo, a Wake Country Health Educator, talked about the importance of healthy eating habits among Latinos/as, especially since reports show a high prevalence of obesity among Latinos/as.  Particular challenges are faced by those who immigrate to the United States and are struggle with acculturation stress, changes in lifestyle, and changes in eating habits. Claudia Rojas, the Clinic Manager of the UNC Center for Latino Health (CELAH), talked about the annual Latino Health Fair that will be held at St. Thomas More Catholic Church in Chapel Hill on March 30th from 2:00 to 6:00 p.m. The taping will be aired on Sunday, February 23^rd, on Univision 40 at 6:00pm and the following Sunday, March 2^nd on WTNC at 7:30am. We invite all to watch!

photo credit: Johan J.Ingles-Le Nobel via Creative Commons