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FL Leads in Fighting Kids' Obesity

Leon County Judge John Cooper on June 30, 2022, in a screen grab from The Florida Channel.
FL KidCare
/
The Florida Channel
Leon County Judge John Cooper on June 30, 2022, in a screen grab from The Florida Channel.

A report released by the CDC Tuesday shows that the rates of childhood obesity are declining in 19 states and that Florida is one of the five states showing the best results, a full percentage point drop.  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s study focused on low-income children, a group at high risk for obesity, according to the Orlando Sentinel.  Florida’s incidence of obesity in preschoolers has dropped to 13.1 percent. 

In other good news about children, Florida KidCare has had an increase in the number of children enrolled in its government-financed health insurance program.  The Florida Current reports that the number of insured residents under the age of 18 receiving coverage through the program has risen to more than 2.1 million.

Originally founded in December 2006 as an independent grassroots publication dedicated to coverage of health issues in Florida, Health News Florida was acquired by WUSF Public Media in September 2012.