A new program is being launched in six Mid-Michigan counties to fight and prevent childhood obesity.
Health experts said Bay, Clare, Gladwin, Isabella, Midland, and Saginaw counties have obesity rates that are more than 10% above the state average.
Beth Roszatycki is the CEO of the Michigan Health Improvement Alliance. She said the twelve week program is available at no cost to the participants.
“This is a fun easy to use mobile and online weight management program that helps kids eat healthier exercise more and lose weight. You get personal coaching weekly. This is a one-on-one session with the child and parent and you focus on something called the traffic light food system”.
Roszatycki said the red, yellow, green format of the traffic light diet is intended to be easy for children to understand.
She said people who live in rural areas often have less healthy options available.
“If you are in the city limits you have access to all of the city markets, you have how many grocery stores? If you get out into one of the township areas where poverty is high as well as minimal education those are definitely the top two social determinants of health are transportation and education”.
Roszatycki said participants will be recruited through local doctor’s offices and, later this fall, through schools.