| Community
Coalition Updates |
The Alameda County Physical Activity Coalition (ACPAC)
ACPAC's vision is that all Alameda County residents are physically active and live in communities that support physical activities and healthy lifestyles. Its mission is to increase physical activity among Alameda County residents by developing and supporting best practices, advocating for policies that promote physical activity, sharing community resources, and improving the built environment.
Coalition activities include sharing community resources and using our collective strength to advocate for policies that promote physical activity, ensure safety, and improve the built environment.
ACPAC is developing a Resource Guide for Physical Activity programs around Alameda County . The guide will be searchable by youth and youth providers (among other populations). In addition, the coalition is supporting bills to increase physical activity in K-12 schools.
Contacts:
Brooke Kuhn, MS
Alameda County Public Health Department
3600 Telegraph Avenue, Suite B
Oakland, California 94609
o) 510-595-6482
f) 510-595-6486
Brooke.Kuhn@acgov.org
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Childhood Obesity Task Force (Charlottesville, VA)
Since September 1999, the Thomas Jefferson Health District has spearheaded Childhood Obesity Task Force (COTF) in the greater Charlottesville area. Representatives from health care, education, recreation and human service organizations address the prevention and treatment of overweight among children through a community-based approach.
During its first year, the COTF: 1) reviewed local overweight prevalence data; 2) identified and prioritized contributing factors to overweight in children; 3) examined policies that affect school physical education classes and food service; 4) reviewed local and national programs that address nutrition or physical activity; 5) surveyed parents of over 270 children about their children's health behaviors; and 6) developed a plan to address the prevention and treatment of overweight children in our community.
Since that initial year, the COTF:
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Presented data and recommendations to the Charlottesville City School Board.
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Convened a summit on Childhood Obesity and Health for Charlottesville City school personnel and parents.
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Collaborated with eleven area elementary schools and one middle school to implement projects that address physical activity and/or nutrition.
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Collected and analyzed height and weight data on all public school third graders in three public school divisions.
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Conducted and analyzed results of a physical activity preference survey conducted among over 900 fifth through eighth graders.
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Lobbied and served on a committee that developed recommendations for vending machine accessible to students in Albemarle County Schools.
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Developed a Healthy Snack Pyramid handout for dissemination to area public school children.
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Supplied data and supported submission of the Carol M. White Physical Education in
Progress (PEP) grant by two local school divisions, both of which received funding in 2003.
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Organized three separate professional development programs on the identification, treatment and management of childhood obesity featuring William Dietz, MD from the CDC.
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Conducted a free clinic for overweight children staffed by volunteered health professionals.
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Convened a workgroup to look at expanding access to, and opportunities for, physical activity programs/facilities for children and their families.
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Provided interviews more than 20 different media exposures (TV, radio and newspaper) around overweight in children as a local issue.
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Sponsored the first Childhood Obesity Task Force award for outstanding projects in health, physical activity or nutrition at the 2004 Piedmont Regional Science Fair.
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Presented at 26 local, state and national meetings and training seminars.
Contra
Costa Nutrition and Physical Activity Coalition
The Contra Costa Nutrition and Physical Activity Coalition has evolved over the past 20 years. It started as a hunger task force, then adapted over the years to address a range of health concerns, including wellness, food and nutrition policy (as a consortium), and more recently anemia and childhood obesity.
This past year, the coalition has been involved in various efforts to address childhood obesity in the community. Members from the Pre-School Issues subcommittee of the coalition worked with WIC, SPARK (Sports, Play, and Active Recreation for Kids) and Head Start to produce a video for families that promotes physical activity that can be done indoors without special equipment. In October 2003, the Health Care Providers and Professionals subcommittee formed a Pediatric Obesity Taskforce, which developed treatment guidelines for providers to address obesity. A resource toolkit is currently being developed to assist providers countywide in identifying overweight or at risk for overweight children and encourage providers to work with families to select effective strategies for intervention. The Taskforce hopes that its efforts will lead to subsequent BMI-measuring and charting system-wide. The School Age/ Parent Organizations subcommittee has been developing a school nutrition module for John Muir/ Mount Diablo Health Services employees to use as volunteer nutrition educators at local schools. The module will provide employees with user friendly, low literacy resources to make classroom presentations. In an effort to promote the coalition to the community, the Promotion, Marketing and Membership subcommittee has been engaged in creating a brochure and website to raise awareness about the coalition?s work, share information resources and attract potential new members.
Coalition efforts from prior years include hosting a summit for leaders from a broad spectrum of community and health services to begin to address the issue of Childhood Obesity from an environmental and policy perspective (March 2002) and launching a social marketing campaign, "Have fun and be healthy," that targeted WIC, Head Start, home day care and State
Pre-school participants (Summer 2001).
Contact:
Mary Fujii
(925) 646-6120
mlfujii@ucdavis.edu
Judi
Cranmer
(925) 947-1299
cranmer@sbcglobal.net
Luz
Pardini (Contra Costa County Health Department)
(925) 313-6217
lpardini@hsd.co.contra-costa.ca.us
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The
Consortium to Lower Obesity in Chicago Children (CLOCC)
The Consortium to Lower Obesity in Chicago Children (CLOCC)
is a data-driven obesity prevention effort with an emphasis
on evaluation; its focus is on children ages 3-5 years,
their caretakers, and those who work with their parents
and caretakers. CLOCC resides within the Smith Child Health
Research Program at the Children's Memorial Institute
for Education and Research, an arm of Children's Memorial
Hospital. The Smith Program is dedicated to the better
understanding of conditions that affect child populations,
and of means to prevent and ameliorate them. CLOCC fits
within the Smith Program as an effort to reduce childhood
obesity in the population of Chicago, using the best available
information to do so.
CLOCC's mission is to confront the childhood obesity epidemic
by promoting healthy and active lifestyles for children
throughout the Chicago metropolitan area. Our work will
foster and facilitate connections between childhood obesity
prevention researchers, public health advocates and practitioners,
and the children, families, and communities of Chicagoland.
Coalition
website: www.clocc.net
Contacts:
Chris Young
(773) 327-9458
CYoung@childrensmemorial.org
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Early Childhood Action Team (Kansas)
The Early Childhood Action Team (ECAT) has evolved throughout the past 15 years from the Preschool Task Force of Kansas LEAN, Kansas Department of Health and Environment, to ECAT with the Kansas Nutrition Network (KNN), K-State Research and Extension. ECAT is made up of representatives from WIC, CACFP (Child and Adult Care Food Program) Specialists, CACFP sponsoring organizations, Head Start, Extension, local health departments, and others interested in the health and well being of young children. This collaboration has developed and disseminated a variety of nutrition education materials, including Check Your 6 (a grain group promotion), the Breastfed Infant and You (a curriculum to encourage child care providers to accept and work with breast fed infants), Nutrition: Good for You! (a curriculum especially for family child care home providers) and The ABC's of Toddler Nutrition Time (a curriculum that focuses on introduction of healthy foods and physical movement for toddlers). Some of the handouts used with these curricula are available from the KNN website under Resources for Children www.kansasnutritionnetwork.org
ECAT has been active in childhood overweight prevention projects during the past few years. KNN received funding from the Sunflower Foundation in Kansas to develop and pilot test Berry Berry Good, a curriculum for child care programs to encourage increased opportunities for children in child care to eat more fruits and vegetables and to engage in more physical activity. The curriculum followed the Guidelines developed by the Society for Nutrition Education and did not target overweight children, but looked at encouraging healthy eating and physical activity for all children in child care programs. ECAT considers a child care program to be any program in which a child is provided education or care outside of the home.So Head Start, Early Head Start, child care centers and family child care homes are all included. ECAT partners pilot-tested the materials and actively provided training and technical assistance to child care programs throughout Kansas. Additional funding was received to provide the curriculum and materials to approximately 5,000 Head Start children during the school year 2003-2004. An ECAT partner agency recently received a General Mills Children's Champion grant to serve an additional 800 children.
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Idaho
on the Move (IOM)
Idaho on the Move (IOM) is a coalition of community volunteers and supporting organizations that seek to work with groups such as worksites, schools, health plans, churches and civic groups, as well as individuals. IOM assists groups and individuals with resources and expertise to begin and maintain personal weight management and activity programs, through the use of pedometers, education, interactive website, logsheets and other motivational tools. The long-range goal of IOM is to form partnerships across Idaho that promote healthier lifestyles through simple, fun and easy, yet effective ways, such as walking.
Idaho on the Move is an affiliate of America on the Move, and joins with other states around the country to promote walking as an effective activity to fight obesity. We would love for you to join us!
Contacts:
Pamela McKinley, M.P.A.
Idaho on the Move
State Director
idahoonthemove@cableone.net
www.americaonthemove.org
National Toll free: 1-800-807-0077
208-589-STEP (7837) (Idaho)
Reed Humphrey, PhD, PT
Idaho on the Move Chair, co-founder
208-282-3065
humphrey@isu.edu>humphrey@isu.edu
Bill Thomas, L.S.W.
Idaho on the Move Vice-Chair, co-founder
208-239-1469
wthomas40@cableone.net
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Jacksonville Childhood Obesity Prevention Coalition (Florida)
The Jacksonville Childhood Obesity Prevention Coalition is a broadly represented community-based organization located in Northeast Florida. As part of the mayor's Healthy Jacksonville 2010 initiative, the coalition's mission is to reduce the incidence of childhood obesity in Duval County, which encompasses the city of Jacksonville and its metropolitan area. The coalition has been operational since spring of 2003 and consists of physicians, registered dietitians, nutrition educators, physical education teachers, parents, and other concerned individuals. Local experts from Nemours Children's Clinic, the Department of Health, and the University of Florida are assisting with research, policy development, and providing nutrition and physical activity education to teachers, physicians, and the general public.
The coalition has successfully implemented Body Mass Index (BMI) screening for all children attending public school and is working to improve obesity screening in local primary care offices. In addition, the group has compiled a guide of local resources for families of overweight children. The coalition is also working to change the foods and beverages available to children attending public school and increase the frequency of physical education classes.
The coalition also supports the Pediatric Health Awareness Team (PHAT), which is conducting a community-based research project and has developed a website for children to visit and learn about healthy eating and routine physical activity. (Follow the CHOMP pathway).
Contacts:
Donald George, MD
dgeorge@nemours.org
904-390-3651
Jonathan Evans, MD
jevans@nemours.org
904-390-3651
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Marin County Children and Weight Coalition
Organized in October 2001, the Marin County Children and Weight Coalition has undertaken several nutrition education projects with local youth and families. Based on responses from student surveys regarding eating habits, healthy snack activities were conducted at San Marin High School and Tomales High School . Since November 2002, the Coalition participated in the annual Marin County Peer Summit for middle school student leaders. For the Summit , Coalition members helped with the Planet Health Session of the Nutrition Wellness Program of Health and Human Services. Since 2003 for the Marin County Fair, the Coalition participated in the Healthy Marin Pavilion, featuring interactive exhibits on healthy eating choices. In spring 2005, the Coalition partnered with Kaiser Permanente’s Educational Theatre to pilot a nutrition and physical activity project to supplement Kaiser’s “Zip’s Great Day” presentation to elementary school students. The Coalition is a member of the Marin County Nutrition and Fitness Collaborative organized by the Marin County Department of Health and Human Services.
Contacts:
Jane Chin Young (UC Cooperative Extension)
(415) 499-4204
jchin@ucdavis.edu
Beverly Busher ( American Academy of Pediatrics)
(415) 459-4775
aapbev@aol.com
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Kaiser Permanente’s Educational Theatre and Marin County Children and Weight Coalition, Dixie Elementary School April 2005
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Nebraska
Action for Healthy Kids
Nebraska
Actiion for Healthy Kids is a statewide coalition of health
professionals that is convening to address issues of school
health, particularly as they relate to nutrition and physical
activity. The group's goals have been adopted from The
Healthy Schools Summit: Commitment to Change (see www.ActionforHealthyKids.org).
These goals include the provision of age-appropriate and
culturally sensitive health education, quality physical
education instruction, and healthy school meals and snacks.
A summit is being planned for October 10, 2003.
Contacts:
Darlene Pohlman (Nebraska Cooperative Extension)
(402) 370-4005
Dpohlman2@unl.edu
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Occidental
College - Healthy Food, Healthy Schools and Healthy Communities
Project
The Healthy
Food, Healthy Schools and Healthy Communities project
is a community-based, participatory action research project
aimed at increasing access to healthy foods and promoting
healthy weights in low-income, communities of color in
Los Angeles, California. Administered through the Center
for Food & Justice, a division of the Urban &
Environmental Policy Institute at Occidental College,
project partners include the Blazer Youth Foundation,
Esperanza Community Housing Corporation, and the Healthy
School Food Coalition. Through community organizing, utilization
of local knowledge, and community and school food assessments,
project participants will identify the food resources
and deficiencies in their neighborhoods. Residents will
brainstorm and prioritize action strategies to improve
food access and work collectively towards improving food
environments in their respective five neighborhoods in
Los Angeles.
Contact:
Andrea Azuma
Center for Food and Justice
(323) 341-5094
azuma@oxy.edu
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OPT for Fit Kids (Chico, California)
The OPT for Fit Kids project has two distinct components, functioning both at the clinical and community levels. At the clinical level, OPT provides nutrition education through group classes for overweight children (ages 2-18) and their families. At the community level, OPT has been working with the Sierra Cascade Nutrition and Activity Consortium (SCNAC) to promote healthy eating in area schools and partnering agencies. The project has a full time outreach coordinator who has worked over the past year within the Chico Unified School District on a variety of activities, beginning with an assessment based on the CDC's School Health Index. Accomplishments include adding salad bars to lunch menus, enriching curricula with garden activities, founding both a Nutrition Action Council and a Latina moms group, and working with school food service staff to improve healthy options. Over the next year, OPT plans to build on its success in Chico Unified and expand its school-based efforts to work in several other neighboring school districts and additional partnering agencies.
Coalition website:www.optforfitkids.org
Contact:
Cindy Wolff
Center for Food and Justice
(530) 345-0678
Staff@optforfitkids.org
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San
Diego Coalition on Children and Weight
The Coalition on Children and Weight San Diego is a group of over 250 individuals representing various health organizations, schools, and community agencies, working together to combat the rise of overweight children in San Diego County. The Coalition began in January 2002 and meets regularly to achieve the overall goal to prevent childhood overweight by addressing the complex factors contributing to obesity. The Coalition is made up of three workgroups, the School Workgroup, the Child Care/After-School Workgroup, and the Media and Outreach Workgroup. The Coalition has developed numerous resources such as a PowerPoint presentation to school administrators and PTA members, obesity information packets for childcare providers, a local obesity prevention/treatment resource guide, an obesity fact sheet for families, and a website to update the community about events and activities. These resources and others addressing childhood overweight are available on the Coalition website. Projects the Coalition is currently working on include:
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Collaboration with the San Diego Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics to work with pediatricians on school nutrition and physical activity advocacy.
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School Food Service Summit to promote school nutrition policy among all school disciplines (i.e. administrators, nurses, PTA, food service, teachers, etc.).
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Child care self-assessment tool to assess the nutrition and physical activity environment in child care settings and incorporate changes based on the results of the assessment.
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Sponsoring a childhood obesity conference for San Diego County health professionals.
Coalition
website: www.ccwsd.net
Contact
Leah McClanahan
(619) 542-4041
ccwsd.hhsa@sdcounty.ca.gov
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San
Joaquin Nutrition and Physical Activity Coalition
The San Joaquin Nutrition and Physical
Activity Coalition has several projects underway. First,
the coalition is gearing up for the National Walk-to-School
Day, which is just around the corner on October 8th. The
coalition's involvement has been spearheaded by several
school nurses who are active in the group. The coalition's
efforts will focus on Westwood Elementary School in Stockton.
The walk-to-school event will be followed by a healthy
school breakfast and an interactive health fair that classes
will be able to visit throughout the day. Children who
walk to school will be awarded stickers to wear that day
in recognition of their participation.
The
coalition is also collaborating with the American Cancer
Society in a workplace-centered "Active for Life"
program. The coalition will be working with various businesses
to organize health education classes for their employees.
In addition to teaching important lifestyle skills, the
classes will help raise awareness and build community
support for addressing the problem of overweight in the
community.
The
Walk-to-School Day event and "Active for Life"
are just two examples of how the San Joaquin Nutrition
and Physical Activity Coalition provides a framework for
action for community members who are concerned about issues
of weight and health. Members who have ideas for projects
and activities have been able to bring their ideas to
meetings where people can pitch in and work together to
make things happen. The coalition has also served as an
excellent marketing tool for the EFNEP and FSNEP programs.
Contact:
Anna Martin (UC Cooperative Extension)
(209) 468-9497
acmartin@ucdavis.edu
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Santa
Barbara County Partners for Fit Youth (PFY)
Members
of Santa Barbara County Partners for Fit Youth (PFY) have
divided into subcommittees to more effectively accomplish
coalition goals. Subcommittees meet regularly and join
periodically as a whole coalition for updates. The coalition
is working with Santa Barbara School District Food Services
to improve food choices in school snack bars. PFY has
worked with junior high school students at one school
to add healthy snack bar menu items. The school added
chicken burritos and a cucumber salad, both of which continue
to sell out. PFY has been successful in its efforts to
increase healthy choices in school vending machines; the
Santa Maria School District is in the process of making
sure that half of vending machine options are healthy.
In addition, PFY is working to remove vending machines
from the county Public Health/WIC site. PFY also wants
to improve physical activity among school-age children.
The group is developing a survey to learn more about elementary
PE program practices and has initiated plans to create
after-school programs supervised by college students.
Contact:
Anne Patterson (Santa Barbara Health Department)
805-681-5279
apatter@co.santa-barbara.ca.us
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Santa
Clara County Children and Weight Coalition
The Santa Clara County
Children and Weight Coalition has subdivided into four
workgroups, each working on a distinct area. The coalition
meets quarterly as a large group; workgroups meet more
often, approximately once per month. In early October
2002 one of the workgroups organized back-to-back trainings
by child feeding specialist Ellyn Satter, MS, RD, one
for health professionals and another for childcare workers.
The trainings were well attended and received excellent
evaluations. The revenue over expenses will be used as
seed money for future training. Responding to many participants'
requests for additional training, the coalition has joined
with the Child Care Health Consortium to offer another
training tentatively scheduled for Fall 2003. A proposal
has been submitted to the Health Trust for funding to
support the fall conference that will target Spanish speaking
providers and parents.
Another
coalition workgroup is focusing on expanding nutrition
education and promoting physical activity in elementary
schools through EFNEP and FSNEP activities. Teachers of
2nd and 4th grades are participating in a project to include
at least 4 hours of nutrition lessons and 2 hours devoted
to physical acticity over a period of three months.
The
third workgroup is collecting qualitative data to develop
tip sheets for teachers to change policies and practices
to reduce the availability of high-fat and high-sugar
foods and beverages in schools.
A
fourth workgroup has brought together researchers at Stanford
University and a local non-profit organization, Community
Health Partnerships, to develop and evaluate the effectiveness
of a family focused behavioral treatment program for overweight
children. Weekly classes (taught in both English and Spanish)
for the 6-month program have already begun, with 22 families
enrolled.
The
coalition has decided to pursue becoming an independent
non-profit organization. The coalition has a brochure
and a banner to use at health fairs and other exhibits
to promote health and fitness for Santa Clara County children.
Contact:
Estella West (UC Cooperative Extension)
(408) 299-2635 x1007
eawest@ucdavis.edu
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Shasta
CAN (Coalition for Activity and Nutrition)
Shasta CAN
has two workgroups one for physical activity and
the other for nutrition working on projects across
the Spectrum of Prevention. The group is working at the
elementary school level on both nutrition education (using
the new FSNEP curriculum) and physical education. The
group has submitted a grant to General Mills; if awarded,
funds will be used to purchase pedometers to motivate
students to be more active. Along with other organizers,
the coalition succeeded in their push for food policy
changes in the Anderson Union High School District. The
new policy stipulates that healthy foods and beverages
be available wherever food is offered or sold within the
district, whether before or after school. The policy applies
not only to cafeterias but to concession stands, fundraising
events, and class parties. The group has surveyed school
food service directors to find out what information and
resources are needed to improve school meals.
Contact:
Gloria Espinosa-Hall (UC Cooperative Extension)
(530) 224-4900
gbespinosahall@ucdavis.edu
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Solano
County Children and Weight Coalition
The mission of the Coalition is to improve the health and well being of children and their families by creating an environment that promotes healthy lifestyles. The Coalition meets monthly, has an Executive Committee to provide decision-making and leadership and a fiscal agent (Solano Community Foundation). Using the talents of group members and resources of the county and its communities, the group has raised awareness of this public health issue and offered education to communities throughout Solano County.
The Coalition's first activity was participation in a pilot project sponsored by the Center for Weight and Health, University of California, Berkeley. The pilot project included organizing six community meetings with educational, needs assessment and problem solving components. The goal of the pilot project was to educate interested members of the community about the epidemic of childhood overweight and the complex components of the problem, gather work groups, and develop action plans.
The Coalition is now in the action phase. In October 2002, members of the Executive Committee addressed the Board of Supervisors regarding the epidemic, health costs to our community and what Solano County can do. A county-wide Forum on Children and Weight kicked off community action and events. In 2003, the Coalition was awarded a grant to develop our strategic plan from California Endowment. Eight community forums were held and 450 stakeholders attended and provided data for the Strategic Plan. This plan was formally presented to the Solano County Board of Supervisors in June 2004. The Coalition is currently working on a resource directory, a pamphlet for public distribution, a GIS project in Dixon and the Walk or Bike to School Event for the whole county in October 2004.
Contact:
Diane Metz (UC Cooperative Extension)
(707) 421-6792
dlmetz@ucdavis.edu
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Sonoma
County Family Activity and Nutrition Task Force (FANTF)
Sonoma County Family Activity and Nutrition Task Force
( FANTF ) is a group of concerned individuals, professionals,
community based organizations, County Public Health ,
school food programs that meet bi monthly to address the
nutrition/ activity concerns in Sonoma County.
There
are three subcommittee work groups:
