A University of Georgia researcher has won a $2.5 million federal grant for a community-based childhood obesity prevention program.

The obesity program in Colquitt County, in southwest Georgia, is meant to engage 600 third graders by including their families, schools and community.

The five-year grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food Agriculture was recently awarded to Marsha Davis. She's an associate professor in the College of Public Health's department of promotion and behavior.

Davis' goal is to give the children the practical skills they'll need to be "change agents" for their families and schools.

The students will participate in a curriculum that promotes healthy eating habits and physical activity and teach them how to share the lessons they learn.

Tags: Colquitt County, obesity, University of Georgia, childhood obesity, childhood obesity research, gpbwell