By Jeff Skrzypek

CORVALLIS, Ore. -- It's hard for many busy families to make the right food choices and find time to exercise.  As a result, childhood obesity is on the rise.  Now one county is getting the help it needs to reverse those bad habits.

Benton County leaders were just awarded more than a quarter of a million dollars in grants to help stop what they call the growing childhood obesity epidemic.  Fast food, It's cheap, it's easy and it's always very fast.

While fast food might be the only option for some, it's that fast pace, convenient lifestyle that health experts are worried about, especially when it comes to children.  But now, this community is getting a little help from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.  More than a quarter of million dollars to fight the obesity problem in kids, trying to reverse the damage that's already been done.

Some of those activities the county wants to push with the grant funding is more city gardens, especially in school, where children are learning life long habits.

Experts say as obesity in children is on the rise, so are illnesses like diabetes, asthma and heart disease.  Something they hope their programs can curb.  In addition to the community gardens, folks involved with the grant project say they'd like to create grocery stores that are closer to rural areas.  They say that would make it easier and cheaper to buy healthier foods.