The King County Health Department wins grant to study tobacco use, obesity

The King County Health Department has won a $25.5 million grant to address obesity and tobacco use.

"It's a huge credit to our Public Health staff and partners that we were able to get such a competitive grant to improve our community's health," King County Executive Dow Constantine said. More than 600 communities applied for the grants and about 40 were awarded the funds through the federal stimulus initiative.

Most of the funding will be targeted to those communities in King County most affected by obesity and tobacco.

Examples include supporting corner stores in offering more healthful options, providing more healthful foods in schools and child-care settings, restricting tobacco marketing and providing smoke-free environments, and promoting city planning that is pedestrian and bike friendly.

Specifically, the grant will go toward:

• Increasing levels of physical activity and healthy nutrition

• Decreasing rates of overweight and obesity

• Decreasing smoking rates, smoking by teens and exposure to secondhand smoke

• Reducing health inequities by focusing on communities with the greatest disadvantage.

Times staff and news services