New Report Recommends Linking Policies that Prevent Hunger and Childhood Obesity
A new brief, Making the Connection: Linking Policies that Prevent Hunger and Childhood Obesity, released by Leadership for Healthy Communities, a national program of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, suggests that policymakers seeking to address hunger in their communities can find solutions that will also contribute significantly to reversing the childhood obesity epidemic.
Webinar on How Cities Can Use Federal Meals Programs to Reduce Childhood Hunger and Obesity
On April 18, the YEF Institute hosted a free, hour-long webinar on “Healthy Food Shortage: How Cities Can Use Federal Meals Programs to Reduce Childhood Hunger and Obesity.” An archived recording is available.
HEAL Cities Campaign Supports Healthy Communities in California and Beyond
Obesity and related diseases take a dire toll on cities, threatening the health of their most vulnerable populations — including children and youth — while at the same time draining city coffers. California cities participating in the Healthy Eating Active Living (HEAL) Cities Campaign are putting land use, economic development and employee wellness policies in place to change that.
Healthy Eating Active Living Campaign Promotes Community Wellness in California Cities
The Healthy Eating Active Living (HEAL) Cities Campaign is a partnership between the League of California Cities and the California Center for Public Health Advocacy. HEAL works with California cities to adopt policies that will improve the physical activity and food environments for all residents, and provides cities with training, technical assistance and publicity to help them move forward in improving residents' health.
First Lady Announces Retailers' Commitments to Open Grocery Stores in Local "Food Deserts"
First Lady Michelle Obama recently announced the commitments of national and regional retailers to provide fresh, affordable food to nearly 9.5 million individuals by opening and expanding grocery stores in underserved neighborhoods. As part of the First Lady’s Let’s Move! initiative to reverse the childhood obesity epidemic within a generation, Walgreens, Walmart and Supervalu, along with three regional retailers, have committed to either build new stores in local “food deserts” or expand existing locations to include healthy food options.
White House Invites Local Officials to Join Let's Move Cities and Towns Campaign
As a major component of her signature initiative to reverse the nation’s childhood obesity epidemic within a generation, First Lady Michelle Obama has called on cities and towns across the country to join her Let’s Move! campaign. More than 500 cities across the nation have signed on to this initiative.
About Let's Move | Participating cities | Join Let's Move | Let's Move Toolkit for Local Officials
YEF Institute Assists Southern Cities in Reducing Childhood Obesity
The YEF Institute has selected five larger and mid-sized cities to participate in the Municipal Leadership for Healthy Southern Cities technical assistance project supported by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation through its Leadership for Healthy Communities national program. The cities are Little Rock, Ark., North Little Rock, Ark., Baton Rouge, La., Jackson, Miss., and Tupelo, Miss. The Institute is also working with the Foundation for the Mid South, state municipal leagues and state health departments to assist 15 smaller, more rural communities Arkansas, Louisiana and Mississippi as they develop and implement community wellness plans to expand access to fresh, healthy foods and opportunities for recreation.
Report Highlights City-School Partnerships to Combat Childhood Obesity
This YEF Institute report features lessons learned and experiences from six communities where city and school district leaders partnered in the development of community-wide wellness plans. Published by the YEF Institute and the American Association of School Administrators (AASA), “Community Wellness: Comprehensive City-School Strategies to Reduce Childhood Obesity” focuses on lessons learned by cities that participated in a 2007-08 technical assistance project funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation through its Leadership for Healthy Communities national program.
Community Wellness: Comprehensive City-School Strategies to Reduce Childhood Obesity (2010)
Published by the YEF Institute and the American Association of School Administrators (AASA) with support from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation through its Leadership for Healthy Communities national program, this report features the experiences of six communities where city and school district leaders partnered in the development of community-wide wellness plans.
The State of City Leadership for Children and Families: Innovations and Trends in Community Wellness (2009)
The YEF Institute's first-ever report on The State of City Leadership for Children and Families identifies the nation's most cutting-edge city strategies to help children and families thrive. This chapter highlights the broad range of innovations and trends in municipal leadership around promoting community wellness.
Full report (PDF) | Community Wellness chapter (PDF)
Action Strategies Toolkit: A Guide for Local and State Leaders Working to Create Healthy Communities and Prevent Childhood Obesity (2009)
This toolkit, developed by Leadership for Healthy Communities - a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation national program - outlines policy strategies designed to reduce childhood obesity and create healthier communities.
Action Kit for Municipal Leaders on Combating Childhood Obesity (2006)
This action kit for municipal leaders offers a broad range of strategies cities can use to promote physical activity, healthy eating, and access to healthy foods to reverse the childhood obesity epidemic.
More community wellness tools & resources
Municipal Network for Combating Obesity
Formed in 2007, the Municipal Network for Combating Obesity (MNCO) provides tools and resources to help local officials combat childhood obesity in their communities. The network assists municipal leaders in adopting and implementing policies to promote active living, healthy eating and access to healthy, affordable foods, and is made possible by the support of Leadership for Healthy Communities, a national program of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
Subscribe to the network
Municipal Leadership for Healthy Southern Cities (2010-11)
With support from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation through its Leadership for Healthy Communities national program, the YEF Institute is providing municipal leaders in Arkansas, Louisiana and Mississippi with technical assistance to implement policy changes that promote healthy eating and active living.
The YEF Institute has selected five larger and mid-sized cities to participate in the project: Little Rock, Ark., North Little Rock, Ark., Baton Rouge, La., Jackson, Miss., and Tupelo, Miss. The YEF Institute is also working with state municipal leagues and state health departments to assist 15 smaller, more rural communities Arkansas, Louisiana and Mississippi as they develop and implement community wellness plans to expand access to fresh, healthy foods and opportunities for recreation.
City and School Leaders Collaborating on Local Wellness Policies Project (2007-08)
With support from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation through its Leadership for Healthy Communities national program, the YEF Institute and American Association of School Administrators (AASA) helped municipal and school leaders in six cities combat childhood obesity through community wellness policies. Lessons learned from this project are documented in a YEF Insitute-AASA report, Community Wellness: Comprehensive City-School Strategies to Reduce Childhood Obesity.
Community Wellness report (PDF)