Nearly $6 million dollars in federal stimulus money will be given to Wood and La Crosse Counties for obesity prevention.

Governor Jim Doyle made the announcement Friday.

According to a news release from the Governor's office, the funds are aimed at reducing obesity, promoting healthy eating habits and increasing physical activity in both children and adults.

“This funding will help us put our young people on the right track to being healthy adults,” Governor Doyle said. “I want to thank the Obama Administration for making the health of our young people a top priority.”

The news release reports that some of the money will go toward increasing physical activity in after-school and childcare settings and nutrition labels at at schools and restaurants in Wood County.

The money is part of $372.8 million in prevention and wellness grants as part of the "Communites Putting Prevention to Work" program.

Numbers show that obese adolescents have a 60 percent chance of being obese adults. 50 percent of obese children have risk of suffering heart problems.