Healthy Weight for Women Action Learning Collaborative - Dialogue on What We Have Learned So Far

Weight gain patterns before, during and after pregnancy are strongly correlated with reproductive risks as well as risks for the development of chronic diseases. Programs, policies and interventions that successfully address obesity in the pre- and interconceptional periods can have significant impact on reproductive outcomes for women and infants, and for the health and well-being of women for the rest of their lives, regardless of their reproductive status. With funding from the Maternal and Child Health Bureau and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention's Division of Reproductive Health, The Association of Maternal and Child Health Programs and City MatCH issued a request for proposals for local and state coalitions to participate in a Healthy Weight in Women Action Learning Collaborative (HWALC). 8 projects in 7 states were selected to participate in a process that is both local and national in focus. On the state and local levels, participating collaborators are to create a diverse and multidisciplinary team to explore existing sources of data relevant to physical activity and dietary practices, peak with diverse stakeholders and identify successful strategies for attaining healthy weight among reproductive age women. On a national level, the teams are to analyze findings and make recommendations for program and policy at the national, state and local levels. A workshop is the appropriate venue for collaborating teams to present and discuss lessons learned, share and discuss these in a public forum, and solicit the experience and expertise of workshop participants outside the HWALC team members.