Childhood Obesity Hits the National Stage

The national childhood obesity epidemic is growing and Colorado is not exempt. The recent release of the Colorado Health Foundation’s Colorado Health Report Card revealed that Colorado’s childhood obesity ranking fell from third leanest in the nation to an abysmal twenty-third in just four years, according to the latest national data available.

Fortunately, the time is right to take action and our federal government is bringing this important issue to light.

In Colorado, the foundation already is in place through LiveWell Colorado’s efforts to reduce obesity. We applaud Michelle Obama’s announcement of the Partnership for a Healthier America and "Let’s Move", national initiatives to curb childhood obesity within a generation, we are thrilled about the Obama administration’s efforts to eliminate food deserts within seven years through its “Healthy Food Financing Initiative,” and we support the president’s establishment of a Childhood Obesity Task Force.

With partners around the state, LiveWell Colorado is working to build a comprehensive and collaborative framework necessary to combat childhood obesity, and our efforts are strongly aligned with President and Mrs. Obama’s multi-sector approach. While obesity numbers are on the rise, there is passionate commitment among many organizations in Colorado to curb this epidemic and ensure healthier future generations.

We know this is not a simple task. Success requires collaboration and participation from both the private and public sectors – a field of fields – that includes communities, schools, businesses, nonprofits and government representing multiple sectors such as health, environment, urban planning, transportation and agriculture. Education and outreach are key components of this work, but they do not provide the solution. There is little value in teaching kids about nutrition when healthy foods are not available at school or parents do not have access to a grocery store that sells fruits and vegetables. How can we expect children to be physically active when they cannot safely walk in their neighborhood or lack access to a playground or park? Clearly, policy and environmental changes aimed at increasing access to opportunities for healthy eating and active living are vital.

To be successful, strategies must focus at both the local and state levels; we must coordinate and leverage efforts to support each other, avoid duplication and maximize efforts. LiveWell Colorado will continue to work statewide with the public and private sectors to initiate policy, environmental and lifestyle changes that remove barriers to and encourage healthy behaviors. This work has already begun with the release of our Food Policy Blueprint, a comprehensive plan that lays out a strategic framework for future policy work in Colorado.

LiveWell Colorado is ready to tackle childhood obesity and provide a model for other states to replicate. We are thrilled to see President and Mrs. Obama take a leadership role on this issue and look forward to supporting their efforts.

Now is the time to take action. This significant problem requires a comprehensive solution – a convergence of efforts – and we all have a role to play. Our children are depending on us.

Live Well!
Maren Stewart
President and CEO, LiveWell Colorado

2009 Colorado Health Report Card Documents State is Failing Children’s Health

The 2009 Colorado Health Report Card, released February 11 by the Colorado Health Foundation, documents that Colorado continues to fall behind in important areas affecting children’s health. Key indicators track the health status of Coloradans in five different life stages, and this year’s report shows that the biggest declines occurred in children’s health. Read more

Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment Releases Report on Overweight and Obesity in Colorado

Weight of the State: 2009 Report on Overweight and Obesity in Colorado is a comprehensive look at obesity-related behaviors and outcomes for the state and its counties. The report provides data specific to populations within Colorado based on age, sex, race/ethnicity, education, and income levels and data specific to geographic regions that are disproportionately affected by the obesity epidemic. The report identifies policies that have been enacted to prevent obesity, provides recommended community interventions to prevent obesity and highlights successful community activities targeted to prevent obesity in Colorado. Read more

LiveWell Colorado Communities

LiveWell Colorado Awards 2010 Grants
LiveWell Colorado recently awarded funding to more than 20 communities across the state to help reverse the state’s obesity trends and reduce related chronic diseases. Grant recipients focus on implementing strategies that improve healthy environments, change local policies and remove residents’ barriers to healthy choices. Read More

Early Childhood Education

Study: Effects Of Family Meals, Sleeping And Screen Time On Obesity In Preschoolers
Preschool children exposed to three household routines -- regularly eating family meals, getting adequate sleep, and limiting screen-viewing time -- had a roughly 40 percent lower prevalence of obesity than those exposed to none of these routines. Read More

K-12 Education

New Foundation Will Bring Americans Together to Target Childhood Obesity
On February 9, a new foundation was launched to address the serious epidemic of childhood obesity. The Partnership for a Healthier America will bring together the public and private sectors, other organizations, business and thought leaders, the media, and states and local communities to make meaningful and measurable commitments to fighting childhood obesity. Michelle Obama serves as the organization's honorary chair. Read More

Higher Education

Health and Wellness Program Pilot Successfully Engages Students at Texas Liberal Arts University
Engaging college students to seek help for physical and mental health issues can often be a challenge. A recent pilot of a student health and wellness program developed by EducationDynamics and implemented at St. Edward’s University, offers an interesting model to higher education institutions interested in overcoming this unique health and wellness hurdle. Read More

Worksites & Businesses

Create a Culture of Wellness Where Employees Can Thrive
Employers who wish to have a healthy working population should consider going beyond simply offering health insurance coverage and encourage a culture of wellness. Implementing a broader wellness philosophy shows a commitment to helping employees be as healthy as possible for as long as possible. Read More

Healthcare

An Obesity-Free Vision for the Future
The Surgeon General’s Vision for a Healthy and Fit Nation 2010, released late in January, addresses America’s growing obesity epidemic and offers insights into ways Americans can collaborate to change the shape of our nation. Read More

Local Health Agencies

Inaugural County Health Rankings Released
On Wednesday, February 17, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation released its first ever County Health Rankings. This first-of-its-kind report is individualized for each of the 50 states, calling out every county and ranking them within the state based on overall health. Read More

Community Planning, Recreation & Transportation

2010 Colorado Legislative Session Includes Bills that Impact the Built Environment
One of LiveWell Colorado’s key strategies is policy change – at the local, state and national levels. Throughout Colorado’s 2010 legislative session, we will actively engage in legislation that promotes access to opportunities for healthy eating and physical activity in the places people live, learn, work and play. This includes legislation that directly impacts the built environment. Read More

Food Systems & Retailers

Obama Administration Details Healthy Food Financing Initiative
The Obama Administration recently released details of an over $400 million Healthy Food Financing Initiative, which will bring grocery stores and other healthy food retailers to underserved urban and rural communities across America. Read More

Legislators & Policymakers

President Obama Establishes Task Force on Childhood Obesity
President Obama released a presidential memorandum in February calling for the formal establishment of a task force charged with developing an action plan to solve the problem of obesity among American children within a generation. Read More

Have Say in How You’ll Play: Colorado State Parks Seeks Public Comment to Help Guide Strategic Plan Update
Multiple dates and locations
More information

*Not all events are sponsored by LiveWell Colorado, and inclusion in the newsletter does not constitute an endorsement by LiveWell Colorado.

LiveWell Colorado
is a non-profit committed to reducing obesity in Colorado by promoting healthy eating and active living. For more information, please visit livewellcolorado.org.

Tell Us More!
Tell us about your news, successes or upcoming events and we may feature them in our upcoming issue. Please send us an email for more information.

Tell Others!
The LiveWell eLetter is published and e-mailed to subscribers on a monthly basis. If you were forwarded this e-mail and want to receive your own copy in the future, please subscribe.

If you're already a subscriber, please forward this message to your colleagues so we can continue to strengthen our reach. Thank you!

Please do not respond to this email. For questions or comments, please contact us. You have received this email because you requested information from LiveWell Colorado. Please unsubscribe to opt out of future emails.

If you'd like more information on our respect for your privacy as our online guest see our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.