Wake Teen takes on childhood obesity

July 18, 2008

 

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - The Kate B. Reynolds Charitable Trust in Winston-Salem has awarded a two-year, $228,430 grant to in Raleigh to address childhood obesity.

Wake Teen officials say chronic diseases like diabetes and hypertension are increasing common among local children because of an epidemic of obesity in Wake County, where nearly four in 10 young people ages 12 to 18 are overweight or obese.

The grant will fund a community-based effort to tackle childhood obesity concerns in addition to expanding existing services for the prevention and treatment of at-risk youth.

The service provider and community advocate will hire a full-time project coordinator to build a community-wide coalition for knowledge-gathering and education about the childhood-obesity epidemic.

Wake Teen will also employ a full-time nutritionist and part-time exercise therapist and expand the hours their pediatricians and counselors work with overweight teens.

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