RIESTER

The community garden at Valley View Elementary School in Phoenix was recently featured by FOX News.

It’s a privilege for us to work with UnitedHealthcare, one of the nation’s largest health and well-being companies, as it helps address childhood obesity in Arizona and nationwide.

Childhood obesity has tripled during the last 30 years.  Unless we change course, estimates suggest that one-third of all children born after 2000 will suffer from diabetes or other obesity-related health problems—conditions that cost an estimated $147 billion each year to treat.

First Lady Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move initiative is helping make the issue of childhood obesity a national priority. Her childhood obesity action plan “seeks to solve the epidemic of childhood obesity within a generation,” in part by encouraging healthier food in schools and more physical activity among our nation’s youngsters.

For its part, UnitedHealthcare of Arizona recently awarded $5,000 in grants to five local organizations working to develop programs to help prevent childhood obesity  in their communities . Kids in these programs worked on a variety of projects, such as creating community gardens, developing fitness routines, producing documentary films, writing healthy-ingredient cookbooks and even funding a new fitness track.  The grants, which were awarded in Arizona and various other states, seek to further UnitedHealthcare’s mission of helping people live healthier lives.

A little education combined with action goes a long way in helping young people establish healthy habits and happy lives.

View the coverage of Valley View Elementary’s garden from Fox News.