Addressing childhood overweight: It takes a community

National and statewide data are often discounted or disregarded at the local level as they are not viewed as being reflective of their communities. If complex health issues, such as childhood overweight, are to be addressed effectively, community partners must understand the extent of the problem within their own community, as well the local factors that contribute to or have a protective effect against the problem. This presentation focuses on the efforts of a small coalition of concerned health professionals who gathered, shared, and used local data to mobilize a skeptical community into action to combat childhood overweight.

Local prevalence of childhood overweight was calculated by abstracting data from school health physicals revealing rates significantly above national and state data. Community and stakeholder audits and an assessment of the built environment were also conducted to identify local resources and barriers. Sharing data from these assessments has resulted in a multitude of interventions that have been implemented, ranging from physician trainings, to family-friendly physical activity and nutritional events, to environmental and policy changes within schools and the community at large. Although we have yet to see a decline in the prevalence of childhood overweight, data from follow-up community and stakeholder audits reveal significant changes in the practices of educators and physicians and planned changes in the built environment.