Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #104091

Carol M. Devine, PhD, RD¹, Mary Maley², Barbour Warren, PhD², and J. M. Darling³. (1) Division of Nutritional Sciences, Cornell University, Martha Van Rensselaer Hall, Ithaca, NY 14853-4401, (607) 255-2633, cmd10@cornell.edu, (2) Cornell University Program on Breast Cancer and Environmental Risk Factors, Cornell University, C-3503 Clinical Programs Ctr, Ithaca, NY 14853, (3) Delaware County Cooperative Extension Association, Cornell Cooperative Extension, 34570 State Hwy. 10, Hamden, NY 13782

Obesity prevention is a priority for breast cancer risk reduction because the relative risk associated with obesity is high, and obesity affects many women. The objective was to increase the capacity of community leaders to take an environmental approach to obesity prevention and breast cancer risk reduction. Empowerment concepts and environmental diagnosis models guided design. The project site was a northeast rural community where 60% of adults were overweight or obese, and buy-in was available from Cooperative Extension, a breast cancer partnership, and community leaders. Researchers worked with a community coalition to conduct a community environmental needs assessment of built and social environments related to obesity. Assessment included: 1) attitudes of coalition members, 2) photographic data on food and physical activity, 3) interviews with community leaders, 4) food access and cost, 5) physical activity in the built environment, and 6) a telephone survey of community attitudes and beliefs. Several opportunities for obesity prevention emerged. There was strong agreement that: obesity was both an individual and a community concern, communities contribute to the way people eat and exercise, healthy foods were hard to find, food portions were too large, and community leaders had a stake in healthy eating and activity. There was divided opinion about social support for healthy eating and activity. Results will be used by community leaders to assess environmental choice points contributing to obesity and to identify and implement workable strategies to make strategic changes. Funding from USDA-CSREES.

Learning Objectives:

• Session participants will be able to describe a community environmental approach to obesity prevention, and list application and use of assessment tools for conducting a community environmental needs assessment.

Keywords: Obesity, Community Participation

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.