Oral

Nutrition and obesity prevention strategies have focused on individual behaviors, policy changes and environmental changes. Implementing cost-effective strategies and using coalitions to prepare, problem-solve, and plan are two methods of implementing these strategies that presenters will discuss in this panel. Cost-effectiveness analysis can help decision makers maximize the use of scarce resources available to promote physical activity. By developing a method to translate physical activity outcomes into a common measure of effectiveness and estimated intervention costs, researchers were able to compare cost-effectiveness across a wide variety of physical activity intervention strategies. The analysis found many PA interventions cost-effective and generated activities that significantly enhanced meeting recommended PA guidelines. Partnerships between philanthropy and academia, stakeholders in business and government, and community groups and government from Massachusetts to California will be presented to illustrate models consistent with the call from leaders in obesity prevention to employ multi-faceted approaches and collaborations targeting environmental and policy changes to effectively curb obesity rates.

Session Objectives: Identify a model for locating and critically evaluating different policy responses to public health nutrition, physical activity and obesity prevention. List data analysis methods used to measure improvements in the built environment. Compare cost-effectiveness of different types of physical activity interventions Demonstrate an increase in knowledge of the methods used to conduct an assessment of local policies related to healthy eating and active living.

CE Credits: Medical (CME), Health Education (CHES), Nursing (CNE), Public Health (CPH)