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

Abstract #117906

Valerie Quinn, MEd¹, S.B. Foerster, MPH, RD¹, Ellen C. Feighery, RN, MS², Sara Cook, MPH, CHES³, and Sharon B. Sugerman, MS, RD, FADA³. (1) California Department of Health Services, Cancer Prevention and Nutrition Section, 1616 Capitol Avenue, P.O. Box 997413, Sacramento, CA 95899-7413, (916_552-9908, vquinn@dhs.ca.gov, (2) Stanford Center for Research in Disease Prevention, Stanford University, 1000 Welch Rd, Palo Alto, CA 94304-1825, (3) Public Health Institute, Cancer Prevention and Nutrition Section, MS-7204, PO Box 997413, 1616 Capitol Ave., Sacramento, CA 95899-7413

Achieving the 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans and reversing the obesity epidemic require profound change in social norms and the social, marketplace, and built environments, especially in low-income communities. More and more scientific and expert recommendations, including the recent Institutes of Medicine report on childhood obesity, call for changing the environment within which people live as a means to foster and support individual behavior change. California is spearheading an initiative called Communities of Excellence in Nutrition, Physical Activity and Obesity Prevention (CX3) that will give local communities the tools to change their environments. CX3 is a community assessment framework that allows local stakeholders to systematically assess their communities against a comprehensive set of community-level indicators and assets. Data collected from assessments will drive local decision making focused on local policy and systems changes to improve community environments. It is adapted from Communities of Excellence in California's Tobacco Control Program, now used in over 20 states. The community is seen both as the organism to change and the agent for change by helping to foster healthier individuals through improved community environments.

METHODS: A state/local team of stakeholders developed priority categories, indicators, and measures. It used science-based approaches in developing the indicators and assets including: literature reviews, expert and scientific recommendations, practitioner experience, the Social Ecological Model, and other authoritative sources. The indicators and assets were narrowed by an objective web-based rating process, converted to community assessment instruments and designed for data-driven community action plans. Pilot sites in both urban and rural counties are testing assessment tools including feasibility of data collection, and utility of data in driving local action plans for policy, systems and environmental change.

FINDINGS: The priority community environments for indicators are: neighborhoods, preschools/daycare, schools, after-school programs, workplaces, government environments, and health care. Community assets include local health department infrastructure, other community resources, and political will. Results of the web-based rating process will be discussed, as well as results of the pilot test sites and applicability of data collected.

CONCLUSION: The concept of CX3 is quickly grasped and popular with partners. Challenges will be discussed, such as narrowing the priorities, identifying practical and valid instruments, and accommodating today's dynamic environment.

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of the session, the participant (learner) in this session will be able to

• Identify at least five key community indicators for helping achieve obesity prevention at community level.
• Articulate importance of conducting a community assessment for guiding local policy and environmental change.
• Apply Communities of Excellence3 model in their local community.

Keywords: Policy/Policy Development, Food and Nutrition

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.

Recorded presentation