Grants helps children improve gardening skills to combat obesity

In a bid to continue the battle against childhood obesity in the US, one school district is to use funding to encourage youngsters to boost their gardening skills by growing their own fruit and vegetables.

The Miami Herald reports that the Palm Beach County School District was the beneficiary of a $360,000 grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, which aims to improve the health of all people across the country.

Furthermore, the chief focus of the programme will be on the poorer residents from the area, with the funding set to enable children to grow their own food and increase their knowledge of healthy eating over the next four years.

Meanwhile, the publication added that district official revealed that some of the food grown through the project will be sold at farmers markets or given away to those most in need.

In addition, the Daily Breeze reports that a school in Lawndale, California is currently reaping the rewards of a successful period of fruit and vegetable growth.

Parent volunteers and teachers helped the students at Billy Mitchell Elementary School harvest vegetables they planted a few months ago, with the results leading to the growth of turnips, cabbage, broccoli and spinach, all of which they were allowed to eat.