The Transform Wisconsin Coalition will distribute grants to 30 organizations for projects advocates say will encourage active lifestyles, healthy eating habits and smoke-free places to live. Their goal: Avoid higher health costs down the road from obesity and smoking. Tom Sieger, prevention director for University Health Services at UW-Madison, which oversees Transform Wisconsin, said the “return on investment” in funding preventive health initiatives is high. According to Sieger, $3 of every $4 spent on health care in Wisconsin goes toward treating chronic health problems, many of which are preventable. “We can realize tremendous health care savings in this state,” he said.
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