Have you ever heard the expression "It takes a village to raise a child?" In the case of childhood obesity, community efforts are proving to be very effective.
A recent program designed and implemented by researchers from the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University and the Tufts University School of Medicine helped to reduce weight among elementary school-aged children in Somerville, Massachusetts.
The program consisted of various initiatives that focused on healthy eating options and increased physical activity and involved parents, children, schools, restaurants, health care providers, city departments and policy makers. Some of the school-related activities included weekly nutrition and physical activity lessons, after school cooking classes, yoga, soccer and other activities, and field trips to farms to learn how food is grown.
Other communities are following suit. Community members from both Chicago and Philadelphia recently participated in separate "Town Meetings" convened by Shaping America's Youth® (SAY®), a public-private initiative to bring together efforts of groups and programs to address physical inactivity and inadequate nutrition among children. Both meetings helped to identify family, school, medical community, business sector, policy maker and community leader actions that would result in more healthy lifestyles for area children-and the obstacles that prevent such a lifestyle. The cities' Mayors and City Council will review results of the meetings before proceeding with a community plan.
For information on how your community can develop a plan of action to combat childhood obesity, log on to www.shapingamericasyouth.org.
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