Attorney General’s Obesity Initiative

Obesity has become the leading public health challenge in Vermont and throughout the country. In 2003, the Vermont Department of Health established the “Fit and Health Vermonters Initiative,” which focused on prevention with strategies to increase physical activity and improve healthy eating for Vermonters of all ages. Both the Department of Health and the Department of Education have been working with many community partners to address this situation.

On February 17, 2010, the Attorney General held the first meeting of a new initiative to identify and develop actions to reduce obesity in Vermont which complement the work of the Departments of Health and Education. If you are interested in participating in this initiative, please review the invitation and fill out the questionnaire (requires Adobe Reader).

The presentations from the February 17 meeting are available below. You can listen to the presentation through the audio link and follow along with the power points linked to the title of the presentation.

Attorney General William H. Sorrell: Introduction to Initiative Audio Link

Kelly D. Brownell: States as Game Changers Audio Link

Susan Coburn: Fit and Healthy Vermonters Obesity Prevention in Vermont Audio Link

Laurie Colgan: School Nutrition Programs Audio Link

Lindsay Simpson: Physical Education and Physical Activity in Vermont Schools Audio Link

Working Groups: Based upon the responses to the questionnaire, three working groups have been created for the initiative. The ideas that fall within each are available here: Land Use, Retail Environments, and Children and Families. (There were also some ideas that did not fall within any particular group.)

Resources on Obesity

Websites

Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity

Vermont Department of Education – with links to Child Nutrition Programs, Health Education, Physical Activity, and Physical Education.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Guide to Community Preventive Services -- provides lists of evidence-based strategies for obesity prevention, promoting good nutrition, and promoting physical activity.

The US Centers for Disease Control, http://www.cdc.gov/obesity/ -- provides background information and recommendations, including its Recommended Community Strategies and Measurements to Prevent Obesity in the United States - (State and Policy-makers) at http://www.cdc.gov/obesity/downloads/community_strategies_guide.pdf.

Reports, Articles, and Other Documents

General - Vermont

Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity: Obesity Related Facts for Vermont, February 2010

Fit and Healthy Vermonters: Preventing Obesity in Vermont, April 2006

General - National

Institute of Medicine: Local Government Actions to Prevent Childhood Obesity, September 2009

National Governors Association Center for Best Practices: Shaping a Healthier Generation: Successful State Strategies to Prevent Childhood Obesity, 2009

Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Issue Report: F as in Fat: How Obesity Policies are Failing in America, 2009

Children and Families

Land Use

Reports and other materials

http://www.informaworld.com/smpp/title~content=t792306860
This is a double issue of the Journal of Hunger and Environmental Nutrition: Food Systems and Public Health: Linkages to Achieve Healthier Diets and Healthier Communities in Volume 4, Issues 3 & 4 The special issue is co-edited by Mary Story, PhD, RD, of the University of Minnesota, Michael Hamm, PhD, of Michigan State University, and David Wallinga, MD, of the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy. It identifies research opportunities to develop successful interventions within agriculture, food, and health systems as well as policies and actions for moving towards and achieving community environments that allow healthier diets and reduced obesity.

http://www.activelivingbydesign.org/events-resources/resources/using-active-living-principles-promote-physical-activity-rural-areas
This recent report, Using Active Living Principals to Promote Physical Activity in Rural Communities, describes programs to increase rural residents’ physical activity through community design, public policies, and communications strategies. There’s a section on the Upper Valley of VT/NH starting at p. 26. Active Living by Design is a program of the University of North Carolina; for more information see their website: www.activelivingbydesign.org.

http://www.cahpf.org/GoDocUserFiles/129.CHI%20Brief%205.4.06%20Final%20Rev.pdf Portion of California Health Policy Forum 2006 showing how land-use practices can reduce health disparities among different populations.

http://www.leadershipforhealthycommunities.org/images/stories/issues_content/LGCFactsheetHealthyKidsHealthyCommunities.pdf
A brochure from the Local Government Commission, a CA non-profit, inconjuction with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, provides examples of cities, counties and school districts working together to adress childhood obesity.

Websites for more background:

www.walkable.org
Website of walkable communities. Healthy Development Checklist

http://www.sprockids.com
Website for Canadian mountain biking education program for boys & girls. It uses donated bikes,and emphasizes safety, skills, maintenance, and repair.

http://www.saferoutespartnership.org/mediacenter/229925/230339.
Website of the Safe Routes to School National Partnership (SRTSNP) collects academic literature about promotion of physical activity, including walking to and from school, and strategy and policy recommendations to foster increased activity.

Leadership for Healthy Communities - www.leadershipforhealthycommunities.org
National program working towards government policies to improve access to affordable and healthy foods, increase opportunities for safe physical activity, and improve the social environments of children.

Active Living Research - www.activelivingresearch.org
Research program building the science base on the links between environments, policies, and active living for children and their families.

Retail Environments

Gostin (2007) Law as a Tool to Facilitate Healthier Lifestyles and Prevent Obesity

Sugar Cereal Study

Cereal Facts Report Summary

Pomeranz Brownell Menu Label AJPH

Farley (2009) HA NYC's Fight Over Calorie Labeling

Nutrition Rating System

NYTimes Bittman BevTaxes

Gutherie (2000) JADA Food Sources of Added Sweeteners in the Diets of Americans