The USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agricultural Research awarded grants of $1 million each to the University of Tennessee and Utah State University for research on nutrition education and obesity prevention for poor children and families. “Childhood obesity rates in America have tripled over the past three decades,” said NIFA director Sonny Ramaswamy in a statement. One-third of children are overweight or obese. The grants also will help create two additional Regional Nutrition Education and Obesity Prevention Centers of Excellence.