150612 Addressing childhood overweight: It takes a community

Wednesday, November 7, 2007: 2:30 PM

Marilyn Gardner, PhD , Department of Public Health, Western Kentucky University, Bowling Green, KY
Tricia Callahan , Healthy Weight Kids Coalition, Bowling Green, KY
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.

Learning Objectives:
At the end of the presentation, participants will: 1) discuss ways in which local data can be gathered, shared, and used to mobilize communities; 2) identify challenges of accurately assessing the impact of community mobilization; 3)recognize the importance of involving diverse community stakeholders in addressing health issues.

Keywords: Obesity, Child Health Promotion

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Any relevant financial relationships? No
Any institutionally-contracted trials related to this submission?

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.