Browsers that can not handle javascript will not be able to access some features of this site.
Skip Navigation
Web Site for the Governor of MichiganMichigan.gov banner
Michigan.gov Home Home | Site Map | Contact the Governor  | FAQ | State Web Sites
Printer Friendly Version Printer Friendly   Text Only Version Text Version Email this page Email Page
Healthy Kids, Healthy Michigan Mini-Grants Awarded to Three School Districts

Contact:  James McCurtis 517-241-2112
Agency: Community Health


February 6, 2008
 
LANSING - The Michigan Department of Community Health (MDCH) recently awarded Lansing, Jackson, and Taylor school districts with Healthy Kids, Healthy Michigan mini-grants of $25,000 each to establish a nutrition and physical activity policy that would help reduce childhood obesity.
 
The districts also will have staff representatives on the Childhood Obesity Prevention Workgroup, a multidisciplinary group composed of executive-level decision makers from government, public and private sector, nonprofit organizations, health care, communities and schools.  The workgroup, led by Michigan Surgeon General Dr. Kimberlydawn Wisdom, will be charged with creating Michigan's statewide policy agenda.
 
"We want to give these school districts the necessary resources needed to develop a policy for healthy eating and exercise," said Dr. Wisdom.  "Obesity increases the risk of chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, Type 2 diabetes, and cancer.  We want to reduce these risks and teach our children to eat healthy and engage in regular physical activity."
 
The grants were made possible after Governor Jennifer M. Granholm received a one-year, $100,000 grant from the National Governor's Association through the Healthy Kids, Healthy America program.  The program is designed to provide the nation's governors with the opportunity and means to reduce childhood obesity in schools and communities in their state.
 
"Improving the health of all Michiganians begins with improving the health of our kids," said Granholm.  "This initiative will help us develop programs that stop or reduce childhood obesity and enact meaningful change to improve the health of our youngest citizens."
 
According to the 2005 Michigan Youth Risk Behavior Survey, 33 percent of students in grades 9 to 12 did not participate in the recommended amount of weekly physical activity, 36 percent watched three or more hours of television on an average school day, and only 38 percent attended physical education class one or more days during an average school week.
 
During the past four decades, obesity rates have soared among all age groups, more than quadrupling among children ages 6 to 11.  Due to obesity, it is estimated that one in three children born in the United States in 2000 will develop Type 2 diabetes at some point in their lives - a 30 percent increase in risk for boys and 40 percent increase for girls.
 
For more information, please visit www.michigan.gov/cvh.
 
# # #
Link to Department and Agencies Web Site Index
Link to Statewide Online Services Index
Link to Statewide Web-based Surveys
Link to RSS feeds available on this site
Related Content
 •  Granholm Highlights Good Jobs News for Michigan Despite Uncertainty of Global Markets
 •  Governor Granholm, MEDC Announce Support for Alternative Energy Project in Manistee, 141 New Jobs
 •  Governor Granholm Makes Appointments, Reappointments
 •  Governor Announces Appointments to DPS Financial Review Team
 •  Mascoma Corporation Announces $49.5 Million in U.S. Department of Energy, State of Michigan Funding for Cellulosic Fuel Facility
 •  Renewable Energy Package Will Create Jobs, Ensure Clean Affordable Energy for Michigan
 •  Governor Granholm Announces Innovative Public-Private Partnership with Meijer
 •  Radio Address Highlights Passage of Historic Energy Package, Growing New Energy Jobs
 •  Lt. Governor John Cherry Announces 41 Schools Will Receive "Safe Routes to School" Funding for Safety Improvements and Programs
 •  Governor's Radio Address Reminds Citizens to Register to Vote
 •  Flags to be Flown Half-Staff Monday for Navy Chief Petty Officer Jason R. Freiwald
 •  Granholm, King of Sweden Host Clean Energy Summit
 •  Granholm, King of Sweden Dedicate Swedish Biogas International Center of Energy Excellence Project in Flint
 •  Governor Announces Over 7,000 New Jobs Created, 14,585 Jobs Retained
 •  Granholm Wraps up Investment Mission; Lays Groundwork for Future Investment, Lauds Renewable Energy Package
 •  Radio Address: Governor Granholm Concludes Sixth Overseas Mission
 •  Granholm Applauds Renewable Energy Package
 •  Granholm Continues Investment Mission in Japan
 •  Granholm Urges Congress to Invest in American Jobs
 •  Governor Meets with 11 Companies in Japan, Targets Key Alternative Energy Projects

Michigan.gov Home | Site Map | FAQ | State Web Sites
Privacy Policy | Link Policy | Accessibility Policy | Security Policy | Michigan News | Michigan.gov Survey

Copyright © 2001-2008 State of Michigan