HealthPartners Trying Prescription for Veggies
HealthPartners in Minnesota is trying prescriptions for veggies in an attempt to fight childhood obesity.
Currently, it’s a pilot project in its clinics in Hugo and White Bear Lake, and aimed at children aged 5 to 12. The prescriptions are actually vouchers accepted at grocery stores, and children are encouraged to make their own choices and try new vegetables.
If the project is successful, the healthcare organization plans to expand it to the twin cities of Minneapolis and Minnesota, where nearly a quarter of the ninth graders are overweight or obese. According to one family, the vouchers seemed to have generated interest in their kids in at least exploring healthy options. Many kids seemed to have used the vouchers to buy everything, from cilantro and mangoes to jicama. More….
Category: News
