Group advocating for healthy eating to gather for quarterly meeting

COLUMBIA — Advocacy group Unite for Healthy Neighborhoods will meet Thursday to discuss obesity-related local initiatives for the upcoming year.

The group's efforts were launched by a $400,000 grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to reverse childhood obesity by 2015. The grant is designed to target those at risk for obesity because of location, race or income.

Nationally, two-thirds of adults are obese or overweight and nearly one-third of children are obese or overweight, according to the F as in Fat Report from the foundation.

“There’s growing understanding that directing the environmental policy issues is the best way to create a healthier environment and create healthier kids,” said Ian Thomas, project director for Unite for Healthy Neighborhoods.

Unite for Healthy Neighborhoods is made up of six action teams designed to explore a variety of obesity related initiatives. At the group's last meeting in September, each team provided lists of goals to be completed by the end of 2011.

The group will meet at 4:30 p.m. at the Columbia Health Department, 1005 W. Worley St.