Activate Allen County Newsletter August 2014 | Page 12

What Can Be Done Obesity is a complex problem that requires action at many levels, for both adults as well as children. The U.S. Government can States can ◊◊Promote change ◊◊Provide supermarkets and farmers’ markets with incentives to establish their businesses in lo w-income areas and to offer healthy foods. ●●First Lady Michelle Obama recently launched the Let’s Move! program which seeks to eliminate childhood obesity within a generation. The campaign’s main points of action are: • Empowering parents and caregivers. • Providing healthy food in schools. • Improving access to healthy, affordable foods. • Increasing physical activity. See http://www.letsmove.gov/ ◊◊Recommend actions ●●In May 2010, The Childhood Obesity Task Force, appointed by President Obama, released 70 recommended actions to prevent and control childhood obesity. See http://www.letsmove.gov/obesitytaskforce.php ●●A new CDC program, Communities Putting Prevention to Work,* is designed to improve nutrition and physical activity and prevent and control obesity by changing policies and environments. CDC recently provided $139 million to 50 states and $373 million to 30 communities and tribes to fund programs to reverse the obesity epidemic. *Communities Putting Prevention to Work is a new program included in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. It also addresses decreasing tobacco use. See http:// www.cdc.gov/chronicdisease/recovery/community.htm ◊◊ Expand programs that bring local fruits and vegetables to schools, businesses, and communities. ◊◊Support hospital programs that encourage breastfeeding. ◊◊Adopt policies that promote bicycling and public transportation. Communities can ◊◊ Create and maintain safe neighborhoods for physical activity and improve access to parks and playgrounds. ◊◊ Advocate for quality physical education in schools and childcare facilities. ◊◊ Encourage breastfeeding through peer-to- peer support programs. ◊◊ Support programs that bring local fruits and vegetables to schools, businesses, and communities. All people can ◊◊Eat more fruits and vegetables and fewer foods high in fat and sugar. See http://www.mypyramid.gov/ ◊◊Drink more water instead of sugary drinks. ◊◊Limit TV watching in kids to less than 2 hours a day and don’t put one in their room at all. ◊◊Support breastfeeding. www http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr For more information, please contact Telephone: 1-800-CDC-INFO (232-4636) TTY: 1-888-232-6348 E-mail: [email protected] 4 Web: www.cdc.gov Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 1600 Clifton Road NE, Atlanta, GA 30333 Publication date: 08/03/2010 ◊◊Promote policies and programs at school, at work, and in the community that make the healthy choice the easy choice. ◊◊Try going for a 10-minute brisk walk, 3 times a day, 5 days a week.  See http://www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity/everyone/guidelines/adults.html.