By Katie Knapp Schubert
Omaha, NE – Nearly 30 percent of teens in Omaha were overweight last year. Now, a group of organizations are working to combat childhood obesity.
Live Well Omaha received a $360,000 grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to work toward lowering childhood obesity rates. The organization plans to focus on both diet and exercise as components of a healthy lifestyle. Executive Director Kerri Peterson says the goal is to keep kids active and practicing a healthy lifestyle.
That's welcome news to Douglas County Health Department Director Dr. Adi Pour. She says many overweight children are at risk of developing diabetes or heart disease. Doctor Pour wants policy and changes to the physical environment that make it safer for kids to walk to school.
Omaha is one of 41 cities that received a grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.