Obesity & Nutrition
A Public Health Priority

American Public Health Association Supports Newly Revised National Dietary Guidelines

The American Public Health Association announced its support for the new dietary guidelines for Americans released today by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. “The revised dietary guidelines provide sound science-based advice for promoting health and reducing risk for major chronic diseases through diet and physical activity,” said Georges C. Benjamin, MD, FACP, executive director of the American Public Health Association. “The release of the updated guidelines represents a valuable step in addressing the nutritional health of the nation. Now the hard part is putting these recommendations into action.” The guidelines, which are reviewed, updated and released by HHS and USDA every five years, contain the latest nutritional and dietary guidance for the general public and are considered the foundation on which national nutrition programs and policies are based. The guidelines also provide a platform for reducing health disparities and addressing environmental changes that can influence the public’s ability to follow dietary guidance. The corresponding Food Guidance System, previously known as the Food Guide Pyramid, is expected to be released in February 2005.

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The NJPHA Jay Goldring urges action to assist individuals in balancing healthful eating with regular physical activity.

In the United States, obesity has risen at an epidemic rate during the past 20 years. One of the national health objectives for the year 2010 is to reduce the prevalence of obesity among adults to less than 15%. Research indicates that the situation is worsening rather than improving.

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The Surgeon General's Call To Action To Prevent and Decrease Overweight and Obesity

Overweight and obesity have reached nationwide epidemic proportions. Both the prevention and treatment of overweight and obesity and their associated health problems are important public health goals. To achieve these goals, the Surgeon General’s Call To Action To Prevent and Decrease Overweight and Obesity is committed to five overarching principles: Promote the recognition of overweight and obesity as major public health problems. Assist Americans in balancing healthful eating with regular physical activity to achieve and maintain a healthy or healthier body weight. Identify effective and culturally appropriate interventions to prevent and treat overweight and obesity. Encourage environmental changes that help prevent overweight and obesity. Develop and enhance public-private partnerships to help implement this vision.

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NJPHA urges Individuals and groups across all settings to work in concert to:

• Ensure daily, quality physicaleducation in all school grades. Such education can develop the knowledge,attitudes, skills, behaviors, and confidence needed to be physically activefor life. Reduce time spent watching television and in other similar sedentarybehaviors.
• Build physical activity intoregular routines and playtime for children and their families.
• Ensure that adults get at least30 minutes of moderate physical activity on most days of the week. Childrenshould aim for at least 60 minutes.
• Create more opportunities forphysical activity at worksites.
• Encourage all employers to makefacilities and opportunities available for physical activity for all employees.Make community facilities available and accessible for physical activity forall people, including the elderly.
• Promote healthier food choices,including at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables each day, and reasonableportion sizes at home, in schools, at worksites, and in communities.
• Create mechanisms for appropriatereimbursement for the prevention and treatment of overweight and obesity.

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Ensure that schools provide healthful foods and beverages on school campuses and at school events by:

• Enforcing existing U.S. Department of Agriculture regulations that prohibit serving foods of minimal nutritional value during mealtimes in school food service areas, including in vending machines.
• Adopting policies specifying that all foods and beverages available at school contribute toward eating patterns that are consistent with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans.
• Providing more food options that are low in fat, calories, and added sugars such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and low-fat or nonfat dairy foods.
• Reducing access to foods high in fat, calories, and added sugars and to excessive portion sizes.

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Popular Press

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Website Resources

• The Shape We're In
  "The Shape We're In," supported by The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and distributed by Knight Ridder/Tribune Information Services, focuses a spotlight on America's obesity crisis.

• Soda shake-up: More schools taking fizz out of vending machine contracts

• Statistics: America's growing numbers: Kids and obesity

• Do-it-yourself guide: Start a Walking School Bus

• Experts plotting America's new diet: Less sprawl, less fat, less frenzy

• Fast-forward: What will the McMenu of the future look like?

• Defining Overweight and Obesity

• Body Mass Index Calculator

• Factors Contributing to Obesity

• Overweight and Obesity: What You Can Do

• Overweightand Obese Statistics

• National School Lunch Program

• The Power of Choice: Helping Youth Make Healthy Eating and Fitness Decisions

• "Eat Smart. Play Hard." Program with the Power Panther
  Eat Smart. Play Hard™ is a national nutrition education and promotion campaign designed to convey science-based, behavior-focused and motivational messages about healthy eating and physical activity. The campaign uses Power Panther™ as the primary communication vehicle for delivering nutrition and physical activity messages to children and their caregivers. Support materials include posters, a slogan, Power Panther™costumes, and other materials. Messages developed for the campaign are based on the Dietary Guidelines for Americans and the Food Guide Pyramid.

  Power PantherTM is a mentor, role model, and guide. He helps children and their caregivers learn how to live healthier lives by making healthy food choices and being physically active. Power PantherTM is available to support a variety of nutrition, physical activity, and health events that reach the FNS target population. Examples of where Power PantherTM may appear include: Locations where FNS program services are delivered, such as schools, child care centers, WIC clinics, Food Stamp Program nutrition education events, and farmers’ markets; Educational, outreach and awareness events sponsored by FNS programs or other health and related organizations; and Media events such as television appearances that promote related nutrition messages.