Local Government Actions to Prevent Childhood Obesity

Local governments play a crucial role in the fight against childhood obesity by creating environments that make it either easy or hard for children to eat healthier diets and move more. The Institute of Medicine's Local Government Actions to Prevent Childhood Obesity report, which was funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, offers a list of actions local government officials can take that hold the greatest potential to curb obesity rates among children. Dr. Sanchez will discuss the approach the committee took in identifying promising actions, including its guiding principles and its concentration on actions outside of the school walls; the methodology it used to select action steps; its emphasis on taking into account local characteristics and the involvement of community members with local public officials; and its focus on healthy eating and optimal physical activity as outcomes to examine and measure. The committee's resulting recommended strategies and action steps will be highlighted.