GCSU awarded grant to help fight childhood obesity

The Center for Health & Social Issues at GCSU has been awarded a $360,000 grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The grant will be used to combat childhood obesity and to promote healthy eating and active lifestyles, especially among low-income population segments and minorities. Out of a total of 540 national contestants, Milledgeville and the Live Healthy Baldwin coalition emerged as one of 40 proposals selected to participate in the Foundation’s Healthy Kids Healthy Communities Initiative, a $33 million nationwide program and RWJS’ most significant effort thus far.

According to a study contributed to by GSCU Dr. Mike Martino and his exercise science students, 62 percent of boys and 51 percent of girls currently fall into the categories of moderately high to very high in terms of body fat percentage.

Live Healthy Baldwin, a diverse coalition of GCSU, GMC, as well as local schools and businesses, governmental agencies, and faith-based organizations, intend to improve the situation.

Dr. Lidstone, Director of the Center for Health & Social Issues, had no problems creating support for the coalition was not difficult.

“People were very eager to join in and more than willing to contribute,” Lidstone said.

To achieve its goals, Live Healthy Baldwin will not only promote healthier food choices – part of funds will be used to establish neighborhood vegetable gardens – but it will also by focus on general policies and lifestyle. The coalition’s major project is a trail stretching from the Occonee River Greenway all the way to GCSU West Campus, and further to Baldwin county schools and industrial zones beyond.

The trail would total 14 miles and link downtown Milledgeville to its surroundings, providing children with a safe route to school and offering GCSU students car-free access to West Campus.

“I am totally in for it and would definitely use it”, said Sophomore Travis Knight, Biology Major at GCSU and also a runner on the University’s cross-country team. Early Childhood Education Major Anna Evert feels she would also use it; however she does have some safety concerns: “It would be very sketchy at night, for example when people return from intramurals”, Evert said. Knight suggests lighting and emergency call buttons would help with safety if students were to use the trail at night

The four to five million dollars, which is the estimated cost of the trail, is considerably more than the current grant; however, Dr. Lidstone is confident that the project will be realized

“This grant shows commitment,” Lidstone said. “Also, it opens doors to match funds with even bigger organizations, such as the Department of Natural Resources and the Department of Transportation’s Safe Routes to School program.”

Posted by Pontus Ferno on Jan 29 2010. Filed under News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry