The rates of childhood obesity in Licking County, Ohio, are among the highest in the state. According to one stat, about 35% of third-graders in the county are overweight or obese. Rob Montagnese decided to do something about it.
In 2012, Montagnese, president and CEO of Licking Memorial Health System in Newark, Ohio, led a partnership with Newark Advocate Media to launch its Active Fit Youth Wellness Program for 6- to 12-year-olds throughout the county. More than 1,000 children enrolled during the first two years of the program, which focuses on combating obesity by educating children about healthy eating, increasing physical activity and developing proper sleep habits.