South Korea has seen the obesity rate of children triple in the last three years, and the country isn't content to sit back and watch that number grow along with the children's waistlines. The country is planning to offer money to schools whose students' BMI indicate obesity.

The students won't be able to use that money for more sweets. Instead, the schools will give the students vouchers that can only be used in particular places, like, apparently, the gym.

You might wonder why the government wants to pay schools with unhealthily heavy students -- I know I did. According to the ministry, childhood obesity-related costs to the government and the economy in 2006 were $2 trillion (yes, with a "t"), so giving the schools money to fight this trend is truly cost effective. What do you think?

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Part of the reason that I don't belong to a gym is because I live in a city devoid of them. There's a handful of them here, but they are small, have limited equipment, and no childcare. They also all charge more per month than I paid for a membership at a large, well-equipped center when I lived in a large nearby city. But two things have changed recently that may bring me back to my gym-going ways. The first is an exciting new fitness center going in across town. The second is a brand new YMCA that's nearing completion.

YMCA has been around for over 100 years, and in many communities (like my own), it's the go-to place for affordable fitness memberships. The association is stepping up their commitment to physical activity and healthy lifestyle habits with a new program that targets people who want to make exercise a part of their daily lives. Activate America isn't just an additional program, instead, YMCAs across the country are redesigning, retraining, and restructuring to help make physical fitness accessible to the average American.

Pretty exciting, huh? You can read more about Activate America here.

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Did you know that your insurance company may reimburse you for staying healthy? Sadly, most people aren't aware of this, and that means you could be missing out on some well deserved cash.

Yes, companies like Oxford Health Insurance will give you $100 per six month period ($20 per month) back if you stay active and belong to a gym that encourages cardiovascular health. If you belong to a club like Bally's ($19 per month), you basically receive a free membership. If you have a personal trainer ... think of it as getting 3 to 4 free sessions per year.

If you are 55 or older there may be no need for a reimbursement because many providers (not just Oxford) offer the SilverSneakers program at no additional cost to individuals who belong to participating Medicare health plans or Medicare Supplement carriers.

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