The Boston Public Health Commission reports the city's won more than $12 million in two federal stimulus grants to combat obesity and smoking.
In addition to ad campaigns and public-health measures, the money will also let the city hire 50 fulltime outreach workers and 50 students over the two-year length of the grant.
The commission says roughly half the money will go to a variety of anti-fat campaigns, including "counter-advertising" against sugar-laced beverages, promote bike-sharing and community gardening programs and figure out how to increase phys-ed activities in Boston schools (Ed. note: Good luck with that in all the 1930s-era schools without gyms).
The other half will go toward anti-smoking programs, including efforts to limit areas available for smoking and to increase cigarette prices and to ramp up the number of smoking-cessation services available to Boston residents. The commission says it also hopes to "create 1,000 smoke-free residences in Boston."