Reports and Info Summer 2011

New Obesity Prevention Policies for Young Children

This June the Institute of Medicine (IOM) just released new policies for preventing obesity in young children 0-5 years. The report reviewed multiple factors and has recommended actions for caregivers, health care providers, and policy makers. See the below link for more details and access to the report.

http://www.iom.edu/Reports/2011/Early-Childhood-Obesity-Prevention-Policies.aspx

F as in Fat 2011

Trust for America's Health released their yearly report in July 2011 "F as in Fat" which is a detailed report that ranks obesity rates by state as well as compares obesity rates over time. Included on this site is a state by state map. There is also a map that includes childhood obesity rates by state as well. Please see the below link to the full report.

http://www.healthyamericans.org/report/88/

Truck Farm Comes to Boston

For folks in the Boston area, please see the below article about the Boston Truck Farm, a traveling farm (literally in the back of a truck!) that showcases agriculture in urban settings and is looking for interested organizations who might be interested in having the Truck Farm stop by!

http://www.examiner.com/sustainable-agriculture-in-boston/truck-farm-moves-to-boston

Boston's Ban on Sweetened Beverages in Schools is Working!

In today's Boston Globe, the findings of a RWJF study are that the 7 year old ban has had a positive impact on the consumption of sweetened beverages by Boston high school students.

http://www.boston.com/Boston/dailydose/2011/08/boston-high-school-students-drinking-fewer-sugary-drinks/z6LV7repTt76hef1QOmI2I/index.html?comments=all

Anti-Obesity Ads plus Food Advertising to Kids

The state of Georgia has released new ads to bring attention to the issue of childhood obesity in that state. The ads have some worried about increased stigma to overweight or obese kids. The below article came out yesterday and discusses the balance between wanting to address childhood obesity while working to help kids maintain and create healthy self esteem.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/05/02/georgia-child-obesity-ads_n_856255.html

The federal government issued new voluntary guidelines to food companies last week to limit their advertising to children if they contain certain amounts of unhealthy ingredients. To date any advertising guidelines have been self regulated by the food industry and although food companies have reduced TV advertising to kids in the face of public pressure, they have moved much of that advertising to other forms of media like the Internet and social media. The below article details the guidelines as well as when they hope to be in effect.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/04/28/marketing-junk-food-kids_n_854949.html

I have also included a blog that came out last week discussing how food advertising is moving beyond TV and what level of responsibility the food industry has and how best to move those companies in a direction that helps parents support their kids' healthy eating.

http://www.theatlantic.com/life/archive/2011/04/the-era-of-ads-food-marketing-to-kids-goes-viral/237727/

Studies on Supermarkets in MA and Physical Activity

The public health advocacy group the Food Trust has conducted a study on supermarkets and has found that MA has a shortage of grocery stores and in fact ranks third from the bottom nationally. The study outlines the communities hardest hit. Please see the below link to the report and a CBS report and Boston Globe piece on the study. I have also included a link to the Food Trust in case you would like more information on that organization.

http://www.mphaweb.org/documents/FoodforEveryChild_Massachusetts.pdf

http://boston.cbslocal.com/2011/03/07/study-theres-a-supermarket-shortage-in-mass/

http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2011/03/07/shortage_of_grocers_plagues_mass_cities/?p1=News_links

http://www.thefoodtrust.org/

In addition, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention just released a nationwide study on physical activity. The study covers children and adults and includes data on physical activity levels, children's access to play space as well as a host of other indicators that pertain to physical activity. I have included a link to the actual report as well as a link to the CDC that has more information. State by state results and national averages are found on pages 14-15 in the report.
http://www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity/downloads/PA_State_Indicator_Report_2010.pdf

http://www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity/