Building the Evidence Base for Childhood Obesity Prevention Policy Decisions: The Texas Childhood Obesity Prevention Policy Evaluation Project

Purpose: T-COPPE is evaluating state-level implementation of two key national obesity prevention policies in Texas: the Safe Routes to School program and the WIC food package. This study will: 1) inform decision makers about the effectiveness of these policies, and 2) help local, state, and national policymakers identify policies for promoting children's healthy eating and increased physical activity.

Methods: A multi-pronged support and dissemination system was developed with key elements including: • Involvement of critical stakeholders and partners to allow collaboration and identify resources to build infrastructure; • Establishment of the Texas Obesity Policy Research Advisory Council to provide health policy research, translation, evaluation and dissemination support; • Creation of a strategic communications plan to provide focus and benchmarks for monitoring success and outlining timely policy forum opportunities; and • Utilization of research finding to inform policy makers as to potential policy solutions.

Results: T-COPPE is on track with planned activities. These include: 1) invited testimony to Texas legislative committees on the state of obesity in Texas; 2) providing testimony to the Institute of Medicine on Childhood Obesity; 3) three policy forums involving state legislators and staff; 4) annual Texas Obesity Awareness Week events at the Texas Capital; and 5) filing of a Complete Streets Bill in the Texas legislature supported in part by research findings from T-COPPE SRTS data.

Conclusion: T-COPPE presents a comprehensive opportunity not only to examine how new policy initiatives impact health-related factors but also to study factors affecting the policy implementation process itself.