Chef

(SAN ANTONIO, TX – January 9, 2017) – The Bexar County Medical Society recently honored Dr. Julie La Barba with the 2016 Extraordinary Women in Medicine Leadership Award. The Society describes her as a passionate advocate for children who is respected, insightful and attentive to the needs of families while inspiring others to build a better future. The award recognizes impactful leaders who have made strides in helping Bexar County residents receive better health care and who uphold the delivery, service and education of the honored practice of medicine.

As the Medical Director of the Culinary Health Education for Families (CHEF) program at The Children’s Hospital of San Antonio, Dr. La Barba has led the Hospital’s efforts to establish programs aimed at having a long-term impact on the health and well-being of children and families – especially those at risk for obesity-related illnesses such as diabetes and heart disease. In Bexar County, one out of three children are diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and the CHEF initiative was established to address this epidemic.

“Having grown up in an Italian produce family, I learned at an early age to appreciate real food. I enjoy gardening and teaching my own children about where food comes from. As a working mother, I know it’s challenging to prepare nutritious meals,” said Dr. La Barba. “That’s why we’ve built a program that empowers families to make delicious, satisfying meals with affordable ingredients that won’t break the bank or require gourmet cooking skills.”

Dr. La Barba is a board-certified pediatrician and mother of four. Her professional advocacy interests include breastfeeding, obesity prevention, culinary medicine, urban farming and nutrition education for the underserved. Follow her on Twitter @julielabarbamd

Dr. La Barba co-authored a scientific article on emerging Culinary Medicine programs in which CHEF is featured: Health-related Culinary Education:  Health-related Culinary Education: A Summary of Representative Emerging Programs for Health Professionals and Patients<https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4756781/#__abstractid1088176title>
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