South Carolina
Golfers and beach-goers flock to South Carolina’s picturesque beaches, including the popular vacation destination Myrtle Beach. The state is also home to Charleston, one of the nation’s most charming cites where visitors can wander cobblestone streets along pastel pre-Civil-War-era houses.
But South Carolina also has a far less charming attribute: the third highest childhood obesity rate in the country. Nearly 40 percent of youth in the state are overweight or obese, putting them at risk for serious health problems.
Additionally, the significant racial and ethnic disparities that exist in obesity prevalence among U.S. children are pronounced in South Carolina’s diverse communities: More than a quarter of the state’s residents are Black or African American.*
The Alliance for a Healthier Generation, thanks to support from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Blue Cross Blue Shield of South Carolina Foundation, the Fullerton Foundation, and the Mary Black Foundation, is working with communities throughout the state to make it easier for kids to lead healthier lives.
Our Work in South Carolina
In South Carolina, we’re making it easier for kids to develop healthy habits.
More than 1,036 schools serving over 617,000 students across the state have joined Healthier Generation’s Healthy Schools Program, creating healthier school environments for children to thrive. Since 2007, 194 South Carolina schools have been recognized with National Healthy Schools Awards for their outstanding efforts.
We’ve also made it easier for over 5,000 youth in 80 out-of-school time programs to eat right and move more through our Healthy Out-of-School Time Initiative.
Success Stories
Hear from school champions from just a few of the many schools and districts we work with in South Carolina: South Kilbourne Elementary School, enrolled in the Healthy Schools Program since 2009; Anderson School District Four, enrolled since 2013; West Florence High School, enrolled since 2009; and Brockman Elementary School, a 2016 Gold-award winning school enrolled since 2009.
Watch how Southern states, including South Carolina, are helping students to develop healthier habits at school.
Contact us and make your contribution to children's health in South Carolina.
Soudary Kittivong-Greenbaum
give@healthiergeneration.org