Press

NY1

Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius was at the Children’s Museum in Manhattan on Thursday to unveil a program to combat childhood obesity.

The museum is a recipient of more than $1 million in grant money for a three-year program that is meant to serve as a national example. It will be in addition to the health and nutrition programs the museum already offers.

The funding will also go toward spearheading a national We Can initiative.

Childhood obesity is considered to be a major epidemic in the city and across the country.

Mayor Michael Bloomberg says he hopes putting an emphasis on education will have a large impact.

“Obesity is the only major public health problem in this country that is actually growing,” Bloomberg said at the unveiling of the program. “The others are either stable or reducing. But obesity is a politically-charged thing. It is a difficult thing. Everyone knows when you watch your waist line how difficult it is. And when you see 40 percent of the kids in our public schools being overweight, that is not good.”

The program, which is focused on serving high-risk communities, will be based out of a housing facility in the Bronx. A sister program has also been set up in New Orleans, Louisiana.

By: Kafi Drexel