Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity

Have You Heard? Facts From The Field is a weekly feature from the Office for State, Tribal, Local and Territorial Support to provide CDC and the field with facts and news from state, tribal, local and territorial public health agencies. We invite you to read and share this information broadly.

View the Current Have You Heard?

October 18, 2016

Across the United States, fish are affected by pollutants in the bodies of water where they live; Michigan’s Eat Safe Fish resource provides information about how to make safer choices when choosing, cleaning, and cooking fish from the state’s 11,000 lakes, streams, and rivers.
The Lower Sioux Indian Community and the American Indian Cancer Foundation have developed a sustainable food system policy that encourages growing indigenous foods in community gardens.

May 7, 2015

Exploring Economic and Health Impacts of Local Food Procurement, a new study from the Illinois Public Health Institute and Crossroads Resource Center, highlights practical, effective strategies used by five US communities to add locally sourced foods to their institutional food systems.
These five communities—located in Kentucky, Vermont, Wisconsin, California, and Southern Arizona—are creating innovative ways to promote locally produced foods.
The study also recommends ways [PDF 744KB] for communities to increase local food procurement and how to conceptualize and measure economic and health impacts of the locally procured foods.

October 27, 2014

The Illinois Public Health Institute has released 5 tip sheets from their Controlling Junk Food and the Bottom Line report, showcasing how 8 school districts across the country eliminated junk food in their cafeterias without losing money.
You can attend the Institute’s webinar on Friday, November 14, and learn about the strategies used to improve the schools’ nutrition standards without negative financial impact.

July 17, 2014

More than 2/3 of Americans are overweight or obese, yet less than 1/4 of doctors feel they received adequate training in counseling patients on diet or physical activity, according to a new white paper.
Are America’s physicians prepared to combat our nation’s obesity epidemic? The Bipartisan Policy Center, Alliance for a Healthier Generation, and the American College of Sports Medicine answer this important question [PDF – 979KB].

May 12, 2014

The Michigan Department of Community Health expanded EnhanceFitness—a low-cost, evidence-based group exercise program—to increase accessible physical activity options for those with disabilities, reaching more than 4,000 participants of all abilities in 2013.
The South Carolina Interagency Office of Disability and Health promotes healthier lifestyles for people with intellectual disabilities through the Steps to Your Health program, reaching 5,200 participants in 40 of 46 counties. Participants had an average weight loss of at least 5 pounds, and 70% were able to increase or maintain their physical activity level.

June 13, 2013

Georgia SHAPE, a network of collaborative partnerships from business, government, education, philanthropy, and health care, is encouraging 30 minutes of additional physical activity in all Georgia elementary schools.
Public health officials and healthcare providers can contribute success stories to a new multi-organizational effort highlighting successful examples of primary care and public health integration.

February 15, 2012

53 Mass in Motion communities in Massachusetts are promoting healthy diet to residents using the "Choose Less Sodium" [PDF-672KB] media campaign tool.
New York's Schenectady County is giving meals for seniors a low-sodium makeover [PDF-685KB].
Los Angeles County food service and vending contracts are now reviewed by the health department to ensure healthy, affordable food options are available to employees and the community.

August 24, 2011

Physical education standards in Arizona schools were revised in 2009 after a pilot physical education program successfully increased physical activity levels.
Through mandated school nutrition standards and other initiatives, the percentage of secondary schools in Connecticut that sold soda or fruit drinks (not 100% juice) declined from 40% to 3%.
Over 65 school districts in Mississippi have replaced deep-fat fryers with combination oven-steamers to serve healthier food as part of their coordinated school health approach.