Panel Discussion

As obesity has swept the nation to contribute to become one of the leading burdens of disease, California has developed innovative models for preventing obesity that focus on changing environments through policy and community action. The California Convergence Project has brought together seven initiatives representing over 40 communities to accelerate the movement to reduce obesity through local and state policy adoption and implementation. This session will highlight lessons learned from the California Convergence project, including lessons from both state and local advocates. Highlighting state level strategies, the California Center for Public Health Advocacy (CCPHA) has been on the cutting edge of work for environmental change in the area of nutrition and physical activity . State legislation sponsored by CCPHA has improved the school environment, eliminating junk food and soda sales on school grounds. CCPHA helped secure $40 million in on-going state funds for physical education and in 2007 and 2008 CCPHA joined with other public health organizations to sponsor menu labeling legislation that requires chain restaurants to provide consumers with nutrition information on menu boards and menus. Highlighting local level strategies, the Healthy Eating Active Communities demonstration program in Western Chula Vista is rich in both success stories and lessons learned. There are special challenges to policy development in Western Chula Vista, a border community with high levels of poverty, ethnic diversity and large number of young children. Significant collaborative structures were used in policy development to change environments in schools, after school, neighborhood and health care sectors.

Session Objectives: 1.Name three strategies used to change state policy in California 2.Describe two methods used to build coalitions for environmental change 3.Explain how policy change can occur in a border community.

CE Credits: CME, Health Education (CHES), Nursing