Preventing Childhood Obesity through Collaborative Public Health Action in Communities

Abstract

Community health interventions are marked by the involvement of multiple sectors—such as schools and youth organizations—in creating environments that promote healthy behaviors (Fawcett et al., 2000; Institute of Medicine, 2003). In its knowledge synthesis related to preventing childhood obesity, the Institute of Medicine (2005) noted that evidence of community interventions is derived less from interventions that specifically target obesity than from earlier population-level efforts to reduce risk for cardiovascular diseases. This chapter provides a brief review of evidence suggesting the potential for community health interventions to prevent childhood obesity. We outline a framework for collaborative public health action to prevent childhood obesity and its implications for community health interventions and related research. Finally, we conclude with a discussion of challenges and opportunities for such approaches, and make recommendations for research and practice on community efforts for preventing obesity among children and adolescents. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved)