Oral

Background: The Nutrition and Obesity Policy Research & Evaluation Network (NOPREN) was created in 2009 by CDC’s Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity and Obesity to foster understanding of the effectiveness of policies to prevent and reduce obesity through improving access to affordable, healthier foods and beverages in community and school settings. Relevant policies may be enacted at the local, state, or federal level and typically include legislation, executive orders, ordinances and zoning, agency regulations/rulemaking and organizational policies. The mission of the Network is to conduct transdisciplinary practice-based policy research and evaluation along the continuum of policy identification, development, and implementation with the goal of documenting and disseminating to a broad audience the effectiveness and relative costs of these approaches to improving population health. Methods: The network consists of a coordinating center, 5 funded Prevention Research Centers (PRC), 9 affiliate PRCs, and CDC and NIH staff. The network has started a sugar drink/water access working group; members also work on collaborative projects with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Healthy Eating Research food access, corner stores, and menu labeling working groups. All Centers engage community partners and local and/or state health practitioners including current Communities Putting Prevention to Work initiatives. Results: A panel will describe current research design, methods and results from the first phases of the network policy studies, including sugar sweetened beverage and water access changes, menu labeling effects, sustainable local food system development, and the impact of initiatives to improve healthy food access in underserved urban neighborhoods and rural communities. Conclusions/Discussion: Information, including the evaluation of health outcomes and consequences of policies, lessons learned and case studies to improve policy development and implementation from the network’s current projects, will be disseminated as part of this APHA panel.

Session Objectives: 1. Describe the structure and purpose of the Nutrition and Obesity Policy Research & Evaluation Network (NOPREN). 2. Identify steps along the continuum of policy research and evaluation. 3. Describe examples of designs and methods used to evaluate changes in sugar sweetened beverage and water access polices, menu labeling effects, healthy food access and sustainable local food policies, and the impact of menu changes in restaurants.

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