Environmental Nutrition and Activity Local Policy Database: A tool for health advocates to address disparities in unhealthy eating and activity environments

The 2000 Institute of Medicine (IOM) report, Promoting Health: Intervention Strategies from Social and Behavioral Research, states that "It is unreasonable to expect that people will change their behavior easily when so many forces in the social, cultural and physical environment conspire against such change.” Local-level policy can play an important in shaping food and activity environments in which people live, work and play. Public health professionals have an important role to play as advocates for local-level policies that reduce barriers to healthy behaviors, such as proper nutrition and physical activity.

This presentation will highlight Prevention Institute's Environmental Nutrition and Activity Local Policy Database as an on-line tool designed to support advocates in influencing local policies and regulations. Joint use agreements, land-use ordinances, business incentives, and finance measures are all policy strategies that can improve opportunities for healthy eating and physical activity. This presentation will highlight the most promising policies that have emerged in communities across the nation to reverse environmental barriers to nutrition and activity. The presentation will demonstrate the breadth of nutrition and activity policy options and how advocates can use the database to identify policies to implement in their own communities.