Just last month, Michelle Obama’s campaign to end childhood obesity promised to get kids moving and revamp school lunches – an effort that involves family and community. Now, the grassroots-level obesity push continues with Communities Putting Prevention to Work: as part of the recovery act, 44 states, including here in Massachusetts, were awarded funds for obesity and tobacco prevention.
Local governments play a crucial role by shaping environments that make it either easy or hard for families be physically active, find fresh fruits and vegetables, play outdoors – and discourage tobacco use and create smoke free environments. Boston received $12.5 million in federal stimulus funding that will help the city reach its goal of reducing obesity rates by 20 and 30 percent in adults and children, and closing the gap between minorities and whites.
It all starts on the local level, and most of all, let it begin with me: walking instead of driving; helping to build community gardens; getting rid of junk food in the house.
The percentage of American adolescents who are obese has tripled in just 35 years. With obesity on its plate (yes, the pun is intended), the nation is facing one of the most serious and expensive health problems ever. With all of our help, the recovery money will do just that: aid in the nation’s recovery from obesity and put prevention to work.
Stemming the Tide of Obesity — BodiMojo // May 13, 2010 at 10:29 am
[...] course, we at BodiMojo are thrilled that First Lady Michelle Obama has taken on childhood obesity as her signature cause. And the very fact that childhood obesity is [...]