“Shared-use” agreements are one of the main childhood obesity policies that Kentucky Youth Advocates believes has traction in the state right now. Children with access to recreational facilities close to home have shown to be more physically active and have lower obesity rates than those without access. A “shared use” policy can be a formal agreement between two entities, typically a school and another agency such as a city government or a YMCA, to share [...]

Research continues to show long-lasting positive impacts, like increased educational attainment, higher earnings potential and reductions in crime, for children who receive high quality early childhood education. A recently released study further builds the case for quality early learning opportunities for all children. The Abecedarian Project, a long term study on health and early education, found that people who participated in an early education program which included education, meals, and medical care such as screenings and check-ups had better health outcomes thirty years later in life than those who did not participate in the program. [...]