The Greeneville City School System is piloting a "Healthy School Initiative" to focus on reducing the risk of childhood obesity. Jeannie Woolsey, the school system's Consolidated School Health coordinator, spoke Thursday to the Greeneville Board of Education about the new initiative and other strategies for developing "the whole child."

A bill aimed at getting schools more engaged in the battle against childhood obesity has stalled in the Ohio House because of objections from education groups that do not want a daily exercise requirement in state law, even if schools can easily opt out.

This month, Detroit Mayor Dave Bing was joined by the Detroit Economic Growth Corp. and others to announce the Green Grocer Project, which is envisioned as a three-year, $32 million effort to help improve the quality of grocery stores. The aim is not just to improve food choices for shoppers, but to strengthen neighborhoods.

In response to the escalating rates of adolescent obesity and diabetes, the Pueblo City-County Health Department is offering a free program called Teen Lifestyle Balance… The overall long-term goal of the program is to reduce the chances of Pueblo teens developing chronic diseases as adults and to equip them with the necessary knowledge that will enable them to sustain healthy lifestyles.

Although a few grocers have opened in city food deserts, it is still common for Chicagoans in some rough neighborhoods to travel several miles to buy produce. But steady traffic and revenues at the 63,000-square-foot Food 4 Less at 7030 South Ashland Avenue… are providing city officials and researchers with new clues about how far residents are willing to travel to stores and how much grocery chains are willing to spend to do business in poor neighborhoods.

California students seeking a lunchtime electrolyte boost would be out of luck under a bill passed Thursday by the state Senate. The measure would prohibit sales of sugar-sweetened sports drinks in public middle schools and high schools. It's sponsored by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger as part of his effort to combat childhood obesity.

Schoolchildren in Nevada are getting fatter, but there might not be enough money to prevent it. During a hearing Wednesday, doctors with the Nevada State Health Division said the latest statistics show 20 percent of Nevada schoolchildren are obese, more than the 17 percent national rate. But Dr. Tracey Green, the state health officer, told the Legislative Committee on Health Care that just 40 percent of the state's schools have submitted plans to the Department of Education on how they are complying with the statewide wellness policy.

Mississippi is one of eight states receiving a $15,000 grant to combat childhood obesity. The funds will be awarded to the state chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics Be Our Voice obesity advocacy training project.

Health officials say one reason so many American kids are overweight is that few have a nearby place to play and exercise. Only about one in five homes have parks within a half-mile, and about the same number have a fitness or recreation center within that distance.

First lady Michelle Obama didn't just talk. She moved, too. After announcing plans for a summer of activity on the South Lawn to encourage kids to exercise more, Mrs. Obama shed her sweater and got down on the plush grass Tuesday with groups of 8- to 10-year-olds to do stretches, squats, lunges, planks and run various obstacle courses. It was all part of her "Let's Move" campaign against childhood obesity.

As part of first lady Michelle Obama's campaign against childhood obesity, the American Beverage Association has come out in support of her effort to prominently display calorie counts on the front panels of U.S. beverage products. Citrus Department officials are concerned that such a requirement would drive down orange juice sales, already in a three-month slump since the beginning of the year.

Christina Wilson made a quick stop at Anh Dao Sakura Asian market on South Boulevard last week, looking mostly for milk, fresh produce and meat. It wasn't a food run for making dinner. It was part of her work as a research assistant at UNC Charlotte. Wilson visited 103 of stores in May and called 620 others trying to gather information to answer two questions: Where is food available in Mecklenburg County? What kinds of foods will consumers find depending on where they shop?

Orange County should spend more money to combat childhood obesity and do a better job involving parents, says a grand jury report released Monday.

Licensed day care centers would be prohibited from serving children drinks with natural or artificial sweeteners under a bill moving through the state Legislature.

The number of North Dakota schools giving young students snacks of fruits and vegetables is expected to double this fall due to a boost in federal funds.

School lunch in Utah — whether served by the school or brought from home — is a complicated affair, full of improvements and promise but also constrained by tight budgets, uninformed parents and picky eaters raised on sugar, fat and salt. School lunch is the moment where what the experts know about fueling young brains and bodies meets reality.

In February, state lawmakers passed a bill creating grants for schools and nonprofits to start Farm to School programs. That, in combination with a national focus on preventing childhood obesity, has widened the discussion across Wisconsin about how to bring fresh and healthy foods in school cafeterias.

Alec Fisher-Lasky and Kurtis Smith sat behind a Toshiba laptop and a 22-inch drawing slate Saturday trying to jolt a vast virtual dinner table to life. The goal was to help end childhood obesity.

The smaller the paycheck, the bigger the belly, say many researchers who study poverty and obesity. It might seem like a paradox, but not having enough money for food doesn't mean the poor are skinny… It's easy to make the connection in the central San Joaquin Valley. At least 20% of adults in the region live in poverty, and about 30% are obese. Statewide, 13% are poor and 23% are obese, according to U.S. Census data and the 2007 California Health Interview Survey.

“Editors Note: The Central California Regional Obesity Prevention Program is an RWJF grantee through Healthy Kids, Healthy Communities.”

Farmers markets are often touted for their ability to connect hardworking farmers with consumers who crave fresh, locally produced food, but one segment of society -- low-income families -- is often left out of the equation. Starting in June, that will change in Roanoke.