WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sens. Frank R. Lautenberg (D-NJ) and Robert Menendez (D-NJ) today announced that Montclair State University received a $1.3 million grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to fund a five-year program to educate middle school students about the importance of healthy eating and exercise.

“By teaching our children to eat right and exercise, we can help them avoid chronic diseases such as diabetes and heart disease,” Sen. Lautenberg said.  “This award will go a long way to protecting future generations by helping them build a healthy future.”

“Educating our children on the importance of healthy eating allows them to live longer, more productive lives and even helps our economy through decreased health care costs,” said Senator Menendez.  “The abundance of fast food and junk food options coupled with video games and television that cut into exercise into have exacerbated this issue.  This timely funding will help New Jersey students better understand how they can develop into healthy, life changing habits.”

Run at Montclair State University, the project will ensure that students understand the benefits of diet and exercise, and study how healthy eating and physical activity improves students’ abilities in the sciences, and increases their interest in public health and science careers.

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