King County gets $25M to fight obesity and tobacco use

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 in a prepared statement. More than 600 communities applied for the grants and about 40 were awarded the funds through the federal stimulus initiative.

"This funding will support our community partners in accelerating changes that will reduce the human and economic costs of obesity and tobacco use," Dr. David Fleming, Director and Health Officer for Public Health — Seattle & King County said in a news release.

The majority 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 healthy options, providing healthier foods in schools and child care settings, restricting tobacco marketing and providing smoke-free environments, and promoting city planning, zoning and transportation that is pedestrian and bike friendly.

Specifically, the grant will go to:

• Increase levels of physical activity and healthy nutrition

• Decrease rates of overweight and obesity

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

• Reduce health inequities by focusing on communities with the greatest disadvantage

Susan Gilmore: 206-464-2054 or sgilmore@seattletimes.com